True Strength
by Guybrush007
Summary: Naruto's journey through life after his battle at the Valley of the End shows him just what it means to be truly strong in a world of shinobi, conspiracy, and good and evil. NaruxHina, other pairings, much battle and enough fluff to please.
1. Return

Hello all! This is my first Naruto fic, so I hope it is enjoyable!

Here's the facts: This fic takes place immediately after the Second Battle at the Valley of the End. Naruto will be paired with someone to be determined, probably by vote.

For mature readers only! Flames will not be tolerated (assuming anyone takes the time to send me one), but good criticism is heartily appreciated.

Yes, there will be spoilers, but frankly it's inevitable. Also, Kyuubi can speak with Naruto more easily than he can in the manga.

Disclaimer: even though Masashi Kishimoto is abusing his ownership of Naruto by releasing crap, he owns Naruto. Not me. (Besides, his manga is still good and I can't draw, so it all works out.)

_Italics _thoughts.

**_Bold Italics _**­ Kuubi speak

**Bold** jutsu declaration (Bear with me on the Japanese; I'm no expert, barely even adept.)

On with the show!

**

* * *

**

_Whoosh._

_Whoosh._

_Whoosh._

The trees whizzed by in an indecipherable blur; only the green-ness of it all gave it away to the pathetic, beaten orange lump that piggy-backed on the famous Copy-Ninja as he launched himself from tree to tree.

The path returning to Konohagakure was relatively short; they would make the village in a few hours. What bothered Hatake Kakashi was the orange lump. He was just that: _lumpy_ – immobile, not moving, dead-like. Normally one couldn't get Naruto to shut up and sit down without the aid of a vast supply of ramen, but now…

Kakashi looked over his shoulder at Naruto, and then swiveled his gaze to Pakkun, a stare that desperately sought the answers to it all.

Shaking his head, the little ninja dog had nothing to offer. Any answers about Naruto's condition would not be forthcoming until the blonde-haired shinobi was ready.

Until then…

"Sir!" an eager med-nin shouted as his squad fell in beside him in the tree-jumping. "We have news about the status of the genin team sent to retrieve Sasuke!"

Kakashi shook himself from his thoughts and focused on the ninja.

"Report." Was the taciturn command. Pakkun shook his head; some things never changed.

"Sir!" the nin said yet again as Kakashi waited for him to expand his annoyingly short vocabulary. "The genin have been recovered from various locations throughout the forest. Akimichi Chouji is in critical condition; his body is deteriorating at a rapid pace, and he doesn't have much longer unless his condition improves soon."

"Hyuuga Neji was found next. He has extreme tissue damage in his shoulder and extensively across his muscular system. He too is in critical condition, but shows signs of recovery."

The med-nin took a deep breath before continuing. "Inuzuka Kiba, Rock Lee, and Nara Shikamaru were found to be in stable condition and were able to assist us in helping them return to Konoha. They will all need further treatment however except for Nara-san, who only suffered a broken finger."

Kakashi chuckled inwardly at that. Kami-sama knows he probably defeated his opponent with his vastly superior logic and intellect. Few could match him in that area.

"Our allies from Sunagakure were extremely helpful in assisting Inuzuka-san, Lee-san, and Nara-san; they are waiting in Konoha and have suffered no injury." Kakashi smiled at this; Gondaime-sama had truly brought Konoha into a position of strength once again. However…

"Sir!" the med-nin repeated. "What is Uzumaki Naruto's condition?"

Kakashi paused at this. Absent from the medical shinobi's tone was the condescension, hatred, or disgust usually present when the average person referred to the young jinchuuriki. Shaking the feeling off, he stated calmly, "Naruto is suffering from physical and charka overexertion. He has no serious injury that I can detect, but is rapidly losing consciousness."

The med-nin nodded gravely, and they continued in silence.

During the report, Naruto was overwhelmed by his emotions. Pain and agony over the betrayal of Sasuke fought bitterly with the guilt quickly accumulating over his failure to make his friends' sacrifices worthwhile.

_If they die… _he thought, _it's all my fault. Just because I wasn't strong enough to break the bond like Sasuke-teme did. If they die because of me…_

He couldn't bear the thought any longer, and his mind began to shut down for repairs.

As his eyes closed, his last sight was of his friends, his teammates leaping through the trees in front of him, looking back expectantly, waiting. Someone finally expected something great from him…

"_Besides," Neji said, grinning. "You have better eyes than me."_

_Naruto beamed his fox-like grin._

They knew he would succeed in bringing Sasuke home. It was his job, the reason he was brought along!

And yet, he failed, and all he had to show for his effort was a symbol of his reluctance to act like a shinobi. The scratch across Sasuke's forehead protector was a sign that he could have killed Sasuke but didn't. Yet this didn't stop Sasuke from leaving, only from not killing Naruto.

His last sight was of his friends.

His last thought was worse, repeating like a mantra until he lost consciousness completely:

_Sakura-chan's gonna kill me…_

* * *

However, killing was exactly the opposite action on Haruno Sakura's mind as she stormed up the steps to the Hokage's office.

Disgruntled was a mild way of describing her mood.

Her normally perfect hair stood out in the strangest directions, her skin showed a lack of hygiene (she hadn't showered), and her eyes blazed with ruthless anger.

Royally pissed was a better way of describing Sakura's mood.

However, unlike normal situations she refused to let her temper get the better of her. Acting with a cold and calculating attitude that would have shamed Orochimaru, she stalked towards the two special jounin outside the Gondaime's office.

Sakura had learned three things in the span of a few hours, and they were pretty good lessons:

1. She had better charka control than Hyuuga Neji, but the stamina of a newborn baby – maybe less.

2. Naruto was infinitely more talented a ninja than she, and she knew why. A ninja had three basic moves: henge, bunshin, and kawarimi (transformation, replication, and replacement respectively). In these three areas Naruto had no equal, for his understanding of the techniques surpassed even hers, Sasuke-kun's, and Neji's combined. They were his main weapons, and combined with his quick-thinking tactical mind he was formidable indeed. _I'm smart_, she thought, _why can't I think like a baka like Naruto?_

And finally, 3. She had to get stronger, and fast.

Knowledge is power, many have said.

She grinned. Tsunade-sama wouldn't know what hit her. Her mission was simple: become apprenticed to one of the most powerful ninja in Konoha, a legendary Sannin.

The jounins tensed at her approach, then relaxed when they saw the not-very intimidating approach of Sakura.

One smiled and said kindly but firmly, "Sorry Haruno-san, but the Gondaime isn't seeing anyone today."

Sakura smiled and kept on walking, causing the jounins to fall into a ready stance. "Miss, please stop where you are or we will stop you."

Sakura grinned again and took another step.

With a yell, the two jounins leapt forward, kunai out and slashing to meet the obvious imposter. They sliced forward in unison –

And hit nothing but air. The bunshin continued walking until it vanished in a merry burst of smoke, leaving two very wary and confused jounins who needed to get out more and hone their skills.

For they failed to notice the outrageously pink-haired shinobi calmly enter the office of Tsudande, the Legendary Sucker.

Tsunade was amused, if the curve of her pink lips was anything to go by. Reassured, Sakura closed her eyes for a moment to prepare her long and complex argument on why she should be trained as the next greatest medical ninja of all time.

Satisfied, Sakura walked over to Tsunade's desk and slammed her palms down so hard that the dutifully-ignored paperwork shook.

"Train me as your apprentice!"

"_Boo-yah!" Inner Sakura yelled._

Tsunade opened her mouth, but at that moment a doctor appeared at the door, escorted by two harried-looking jounins. They glared when they saw Sakura, who only grinned cheekily in response. They snapped to attention almost immediately though, and the doctor stepped forward.

"Gondaime-sama, the medical team has returned with the genin team. It has been suggested that you come to the hospital immediately where a full report can be delivered." He stared pointedly at Sakura, who had the grace to blush and look down.

Tsunade sighed. "Sakura-chan, our conversation will have to wait. However, I have an assignment for you. Notify all the genin who know any of the following: Chouji, Neji, Shikamaru, Kiba, and Naruto. Tell them to report to the hospital in three hours."

Sakura could only stare. She wanted to know what had happened on the mission, but realized that she would have to wait until she could visit Sasuke-kun and Naruto in the hospital.

"Hai, Gondaime-sama." Sakura ran out; she knew exactly who she needed to find. Then, she could visit Sasuke-kun and Naruto.

She didn't even think of the possibility that Sasuke-kun would actually go to Orochimaru…

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Well, whaddya think? You already read it, why not review it? More to come! 


	2. Bad News, Medical Blues

Hello all! Haven't got much to say yet, so on with the story!

**Chapter 2: When the Tough Got Going**

_Drip._

_Drip._

_Drip._

The sound would have been infuriating to the man's ears if he had an ounce of humanity left in him.

He didn't.

Orochimaru yawned and stretched, still becoming comfortable with his new vessel. It was so inconvenient having to wait for something you wanted so badly.

He rose to greet Kabuto, who was escorting none other than Sasuke-kun himself.

Orochimaru grinned. It was time to see what the Uchiha was capable of doing.

He motioned, and Kabuto fell into step behind him.

Sasuke stared for a moment, then quickly followed.

"Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru stated. "You are the chosen one."

Sasuke was emotionless. "I don't care. Hurry up and give me power."

Kabuto started, and leaned down to whisper in Sasuke's ear. "You should know that that man in front of us is none other than Orochimaru-sama! You would be wiser to show respect."

A second later, he pulled back as Sasuke flared his chakra briefly. It was enough to scare Kabuto away, and to get Orochimaru's attention.

"_This boy's chakra is even more evil than my own," he mused. "Oh, but the possibilities…"_

Aloud, he said, "Sasuke-kun, what would you do to attain power?"

Sasuke finally showed emotion. He smirked in the way only one who has nothing to lose can.

"Anything."

Orochimaru smiled again. This boy was quickly becoming his new favorite.

_Then again,_ he thought, _that's not always a good thing._

Chuckling quietly, he motioned Sasuke forward. He touched his cursed seal, and it flared violently, causing Sasuke in his exhausted state to fall to the ground writhing in pain. "Sasuke, this seal marks you as my own. Whatever freedom you have is because I allow it. You are also the sole possessor of the cursed seal now." The Snake Sannin neglected to mention Anko, but he decided it would be better if his plans for her were unknown to Sasuke.

After all, if plan A knew about plan B, who knows what they might do out of jealousy?

Unable to control himself, Orochimaru's laughter reverberated throughout the halls, while Kabuto and Sasuke could only wonder what caused such a reaction.

Sakura raced through the streets of Konoha. She had already notified Shino and Tenten; the only two left were Ino-pig and Hinata.

_I wonder who Hinata will visit first? Neji, Kiba,… or Naruto?_

She shook the thoughts away, though; she needed a clear head to deal with Ino, though admittedly that was becoming easier and easier since the Chuunin exams.

Sakura knocked once, twice, and then a third time just to be annoying. If the frantic thumping of footsteps approaching the door were any sign, she had achieved her goal.

A very frazzled Ino answered the door, shocking Sakura immensely. She grinned evilly, seeing an opportunity.

"Geez, Ino! And here I thought you cared about your looks!"

Ino began to slam the door right on the oversized forehead when Sakura's hand shot out, halting its advance. "Seriously Ino, I have important news."

Ino was still wary, but stepped to the side. Seeing it as an invitation, Sakura stepped across the threshold and leaned against a wall.

"This better be good, forehead-girl," Ino growled. "I was about to take a shower!"

"Thank Kami-sama," Sakura muttered. "Anyways Ino, Shikamaru and Chouji have returned from their mission. Gondaime-sama said we could visit them in three hours, but by now it should only be about two."

It was true. Finding Shino had taken the better part of an hour, and Sakura had been none too pleased at his nonchalant attitude about the inconvenience.

_Still have to find Hinata,_ Sakura thought. _She'll want to see Kiba and Neji_.

Sakura ran hard. _The sooner I find Hinata, the sooner I can see Sasuke! (Boo-yah! Sasuke-kun rocks!)_

"What!" Hinata exclaimed. "What happened to Kiba-kun?"

Sakura saddened. This messenger business was wearing thin; too much bad news delivery…

"Kiba, Naruto, Neji, Shikamaru, and Chouji were sent on a mission to retrieve Sasuke-kun. All were severely injured except Shikamaru, and Neji is in particularly critical condition," Sakura explained.

Hinata paled. _Naruto-kun… Neji-nisan… please be okay…_ "When are we allowed to see them?" Hinata asked quietly.

Sakura smiled. "Gondaime-sama said they should be ready for visitors in an hour. It'll take that long to get to the hospital from here; why don't you walk with me?" _Maybe it will cheer her up; the poor girl looks devastated…_

Hinata smiled. "Arigato, Sakura-san; I would like that very much." _Naruto-kun…_

They walked down the street to the hospital, oblivious to the medical chaos ensuing at the hospital…

"Bring me the deer antlers, quickly!" Tsunade shouted, immediately returning to her scrutiny of the massive medical textbook in front of her. She growled in frustration, then started when she noticed a book on the table that wasn't there before.

"A Complete Report of the Akimichi Soldier Pills?" she read aloud. "By the Nara clan?"

Tsunade flipped it open, coming to a stop at a detailed picture of the red pepper pill which was rapidly killing Chouji.

Tsunade grinned. "Eureka," she whispered.

Meanwhile, her assistant Shizune was having a rough time. Kanji littered the floor of the operating room, and the ninjas in the room positively glowed with green healing chakra. Neji's gaping wound in his shoulder should have killed him, but somehow he still showed life signs. Not wasting an opportunity, Shizune was assigned the task of mending the horrific gash.

"Pass your chakra through the hair like you were threading a needle!" She shouted amidst the deafening hum of the Fuuin jutsu she had activated to preserve Neji's condition. "One mistake could destroy the new cells' homeostasis!"

The med-nins nodded. No words were spoken; there was work to be done.

Neji twitched in pain.

Sorry about the short update; applying to college is harder than actually getting in!

Longer chapter to come soon! The story will quickly take a love-triangle turn towards Hinata, Sakrua, and Naruto!

R&R! More to come!


	3. Revelations

Hello again!

WARNING: This is where the story will deviate from the manga/anime etc. Naruto will be a little OC, but it will define his character for the rest of the story.

Read on!

Naruto stared at the Konoha hitai in his hand and ran in fingers along the scratch he had etched across the leaf symbol…

_Rasengan!_

_Chidori!_

He sighed. He had pulled his punch, but Sasuke-teme was too immersed in the cursed seal's corruption to rationally perceive that. He had left the Valley of the End with the notion that he had won the battle.

He had lost. Horribly.

Naruto glared at his now-normal human hands, imagining claws extending from his fingertips. It would have been so easy: two inches higher or lower, and in exchange for Sasuke's punch to the gut, Naruto could have taken off his scalp or his jugular, leaving the traitor to bleed to a messy death.

_But I couldn't,_ he thought. _I didn't want to sever the bond like Sasuke wanted to kill me. Now, though…_

Naruto imagined Sasuke standing before him, in all his arrogance and hatred.

Naruto wanted nothing more than to plunge a kunai into his cold black heart.

_No more holding back. Next time I see that bastard I will kill him. That's a promise! I don't go back on my words!_

His musings were interrupted with a knock at the door. Puzzled, he remained silent, wondering why doctors chose now to knock before entering his room. Usually they just came in so they could treat his wounds, which were healing remarkably fast.

"Stupid fox is good for something, I guess," Naruto said aloud.

"Damn straight, Naruto! Do you have any idea just how badly you were injured?"

Naruto started at the voice, then turned to face a grinning Tsunade.

Naruto returned the grin with a smirk. "Oh, hey there Obaa-chan!"

Against all odds, the Legendary Sucker gave no sign that the jibe affected her. Instead, she sat down on the bed. Naruto waited expectantly.

Tsunade noticed his uncharacteristic silence. _Strange. He really IS more thoughtful than I gave him credit for._

Aloud, she began her prepared speech. "Naruto, do you have any idea what Sasuke did to you?"

Naruto nodded. "Sure," he began. "He betrayed me and Sakura and the rest of Konoha. He put a four-inch hole in my shoulder, broke about six ribs, and drove me to charka exhaustion! That stupid bastard! And all for the joy of being Orochimaru-teme's new body! So hell yeah, I know what Sasuke did!

Naruto realized that he was standing on the bed, and had just shouted at the Gondaime Hokage who, if he played his cards right, might name him the Rokudaime.

He sat down and had the humility to blush. "Gomen, Hokage-sama."

Tsunade stared once again. The loudmouth ninja who won her jade necklace from her was gone.

_He's still loud, if the ringing in my ears is any indicator._ She thought. _But this trauma changed him. Just like Jiraiya…_

She stood up abruptly, inspired. "Naruto, there's someone I have to see right now, but I'm clearing you for visitors. Is that alright with you?"

Naruto sighed and looked out the window at the ironically beautiful day outside. "Sure, but I doubt anyone will want to see a demon."

SLAP

Naruto stared ahead, shocked. Tsunade had just sent his head on a merry-go-round, and now…

Now she was pulling him into a bone-crunching hug.

"Oh, Naruto…" She sobbed. "Why can't people see you for the hero you are? You have to remember: you are NOT the Kyuubi! You are Naruto, and you have saved us all from that force of destruction." She pulled away and held him at arms' length. "Promise me you'll never forget that!" Then, she grinned crookedly. "Besides, I lost my necklace to the future Hokage, not some demon bastard!"

Naruto smiled, eyes blurry, yet he refused to let them fall. He fingered jade pendant hanging around his neck, then said, "I promise, Obaa-chan. That's my nindo!"

Tsunade smiled, and turned to leave. "Besides," she said over her shoulder. "I think you'll be surprised at who shows up here before the day is done!"

Tsunade walked down to the lobby of the hospital, having just been told by Shizune that Neji was stabilized and that visiting could commence.

_But first,_ she groaned silently. _I have to explain a few things to THIS._

A veritable mob of genin and jounin lingered in the lobby, talking. When they saw Tsunade, however, they immediately quieted down and turned to face the Hokage, who grinned weakly.

Kurenei fired the leading shot. "Hokage-sama, why is my student currently in the hospital intensive care?"

Asuma followed up with a one-two: "And why are Chouji _and_ Shikamaru injured? I heard from Ino that Chouji was just pulled from death? How was he almost killed in the first place?"

And finally, a vicious uppercut was delivered by the famous copy-ninja:

"Where the hell is my team?"

Tsunade sighed and explained how she had asked Shikamaru to lead a team of exceptional genin to retrieve Sasuke. She then explained that all members of the team, including the Sand team that she had begged (she didn't say begged, though she knew that she literally got down on her knees in the letter she sent to Gaara.), had all come back alive and were well on the way to recovery.

Kakashi still wasn't satisfied. "I said, 'where the hell is my team?'"

Tsunade looked down. "Kakashi-san, you know very well that Sasuke has defected to Orochimaru. Naruto has suffered extensive injuries at his hands trying to bring him back! You know this, you carried him back yourself!" She inhaled, and continued. "Sasuke is now officially declared an S-class missing nin, to be captured or killed on sight."

Surprisingly, there were no protests in defense of the Uchiha prodigy. Instead, much to her pleasant surprise, several of the jounins began grumbling until Kurenai said aloud:

"Is Naruto going to be alright?" Several other jounins nodded in agreement, wanting to know how the Jinchuuriki was faring.

Tsunade was puzzled, to say the least. "Yes, he is going to make a full recovery; why are you all so curious?"

Asuma spoke up, "Well, the kid almost killed himself trying to help Konoha; that kinda improves his image in the minds of some people, y'know? Mention his name on the streets, and you'd be surprised how many people have a different take on that kid."

The jounins nodded in agreement once more.

Tsunade turned away, hiding her tears. When she had reasserted control, she announced, "Now that this is over with, there's still someone I need to see. The genin are now seeing visitors!" With that, she leapt to the ceiling as a veritable throng of ninja surged towards the infirmaries.

She scanned the crowd from above, feet firmly stuck to the ceiling, when she saw a flash of a white mane; then it was gone, and the hospital doors swung shut.

She grinned. She loved the thrill of the hunt. With a crunch, she propelled herself off the ceiling, flipping around in mid-air to land running out the door.

Jiraiya was in for a doozie.

The young genin decided that they would visit Naruto last since, by all accounts, he had had the worst time of it. Rumor had spread somehow that Sasuke had confessed that Naruto was his best friend – and then proceeded to try and carve his heart out. They all believed that Sasuke did not deserve visitors yet, and so they proceeded to see Naruto.

Sakura led the way to Naruto's room, having just been told where it was by a particularly disgruntled med-nin; Sakura realized that all the hospital staff referred to Naruto as if the name had a bad taste to it.

She shook it off as she almost took a wrong turn. _Focus, woman! (Hell yeah, get your head in the game!)_

She looked over her shoulder to see that the genin had kept up. She counted them all: Shikamaru, who was deemed well enough to make the rounds with them, Hinata, who looked ready to faint, Ino, who was staring ahead determinedly, and Shino, silent as ever.

Sakura nodded in affirmation, then turned to open Naruto's door, which had suddenly appeared in front of her.

_Why am I so distracted?_ She wondered. _It's not as if something is wro-_

"How are you feeling, Naruto?"

Sakura stayed her hand upon the handle. That was Tsunade-sama! With Naruto! She whispered this information and made the "Sshh!" motion with her finger. She motioned again to the door, and the genin scrambled silently to listen at the frame. They were ninja, after all; who could blame them?

"Besides," Ino whispered. "We all want to know if Naruto's okay, right?" Heads nodded their assent.

And so they listened. And as they listened, their mouths slowly dropped lower and lower until they touched the floor…

After Tsunade found Jiraiya and explained her plan, she immediately returned to the hospital to confront Naruto about his experience in the Valley of the End. She hoped he would be slightly less emotional than her last visit, but she didn't count on it. She still needed to know, however; paperwork was a pain, but mission reports were top priority.

"So," She had began. "I want the details of your fight with the traitor."

Naruto stared ahead stonily. Then, without looking at Tsunade, Naruto began his narration.

"I confronted Sasuke when we stood atop the two statues at the ends of the Valley."

He paused, then regained his momentum. "I leapt across and punched him, but all he did was spit blood at me. At this point, half of Sasuke's face was affected by the cursed seal; one of his eyes was this weird yellow."

He took a breath, and continued. "We fought for a little, but I held back because I didn't want to hurt him. Sasuke-teme took the opportunity to pound me into the ground. Eventually, I fought back. This was when he gored me here with the Chidori."

He pointed, and Tsunade shivered. _Dan was killed by a similar wound; Naruto must have deflected it at the last second._

Her attention was brought back to Naruto, who had continued saying "That's when I summoned more of the Kyuubi's charka than ever before. It healed all my wounds quickly, and allowed me to beat the crap out of Sasuke. But he activated the next level of his sharingan, I think, because then he was able to follow my every move. I didn't land a hit on him again until…" He petered off, hesitating. Was it okay to tell Tsunade what happened next?

Tsunade was now wondering. _This kid's pretty eloquent; was he faking stupidity this whole time? Was it all just a mask?_

She motioned for Naruto to continue. He started, but decided that he could tell her anything, and it would be okay. However…

"Tsunade-sama?"

She almost fainted at the name. It just didn't sound right coming from Naruto; he must want something truly important.

"Yes?"

He inhaled deeply. "Promise me that you won't tell any of the other genin about this?"

She smiled. "Of course not. But I expect you to tell them when you're ready. Agreed?"

He gave a fox-like grin. "Agreed!"

He sobered up, and explained. "Sasuke killed me, obaa-chan. He dropped me from the cliff onto the bottom of the Valley head-first. It snapped my neck; I remember it clearly." Seeing Tsunade's horrified look, he added, "It still itches, too!"

Then, he scared her all the way to death. "Then, Kyuubi overwhelmed me with power. The demonic charka covered my body and made me a tail. From then on, there's this haze, but I used more charka than my body could handle; it was like it had a life of its own, but I controlled it. Sasuke couldn't keep up, and activated his cursed seal so that he became this winged beast. It was horrible, but I'm in no place to comment, neh?" He sighed. "The rest, you already know. We went at it with our best attacks, and I pulled my last punch so I wouldn't kill Sasuke."

He glared suddenly. "I regret it now. I'm not gonna go after him and become like Sasuke-teme, but if I see him again, I will kill him."

Sakura slumped to the ground, tears pouring down her eyes. The other genin, shocked into silence by the knowledge they had just gained, could only listen to Naruto's final thought:

"And that's a promise!"

Sakura gasped, then eeped as Ino's hand clamped over her mouth. Hinata shook her head, deactivating her Byakugan.

"It's too late," she said softly. "Hokage-sama knows we're here."

The genin exchanged scared looks.

When she heard the noise, Tsunade started suddenly, then glanced at the door.

"Oh no…"

"What is it, baa-chan?" Naruto asked cheerfully. "Someone steal your sake?"

He frowned as Tsunade turned to face him, a look of utmost sorrow upon her face.

"Obaa-chan?" he asked fearfully.

"Naruto," Tsunade said. "Go open the door for me, will you?"

Puzzled, he got up, wincing, and crossed to the portal.

He pulled the latch and opened the door.

He stared.

Shikamaru, Shino, and Ino watched as his breath ceased.

Hinata locked eyes with him. "Naruto-kun…" She whispered.

He turned his gaze to Sakura, who cowered under his glare.

Red charka seeped out of his skin, visible to all. He crouched, snarling.

"Naruto!" Tsunade screamed.

He leapt.

Bum-bum-BUUUUM!

Woo-hoo! Extra-long chapter! Yes! Hope y'all enjoyed it, because more's a'comin'!


	4. True Friends

Greetings, puny mortals! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! I AM-

Writer sneaks up behind Kyuubi and throws a sack on his head

"AIEEEE! I'M BLIND!" Runs into wall, descends into unconsciousness

Ahem. Shazam! Thank you all for reviewing. All were read diligently, and all were greatly appreciated. bows.

Yippee! At least people read and enjoy; that's all I hope for.

Attention! Many have been clamoring for a NaruSaku pairing. A pairing will not come for awhile, so y'all don't have to worry about your favorite pairing… yet! Heheheh…

Oh, and I don't own Naruto. Or cheese.

* * *

**Chapter 4: True Friends**

_He leapt forward._

_As he did, he saw the faces of his "friends", the precious people he had come to rely on, moreso than Iruka, Kakashi, or any of his senseis._

_They were his age, blissfully held unaware of his terrible burden by the Sandaime's law._

_But now, they knew._

_He saw their faces._

_He saw their fear._

_Wait… fear? Not anger, or betrayal, but fear?_

Naruto almost halted in midair, rapidly ending his forward charge with a burst of charka. He landed, a glare still evident on his features, but held in check.

Barely.

He released the Kyuubi's chakra; that is, he fought it back into his system, and with a wince returned to normal.

He stood erect, all traces of red gone from his cerulean eyes. He stared at the genin; they stared at him.

Tsunade sighed once again. Was there no end to the suffering for this boy? The cleared her throat, and six heads whipped around to stare at her.

She glared at them all. "Well, you might as well come in and sit down, before Naruto tears your heads off."

Ino gave a nervous giggle, but the rest remained silent as they walked into the room and sat on the only other bed in the room. Tsunade stood by the window, ready to intercept Naruto if he tried to attack again.

Shikamaru's formidable brain was working overtime trying to make sense of the revelations that had been made.

_We had always been told that the Kyuubi was killed by the Yondaime, who sacrificed his life to save Konoha! But apparently the Kyuubi survived and is in human form? No, that doesn't make sense; Naruto is too generous and determined to be the Kyyubi. Which means…_

His musings were interrupted by Ino, who dragged him in and sat him down next to her on the bed.

_Troublesome…_

Shino stared at Naruto, silent as ever, though it seemed he was content to wait and listen.

Ino stared at the floor, ashamed of her actions.

Hinata stared at Naruto openly, a slight blush staining her cheeks. _Naruto-kun… please don't be angry… we just want to make sure your okay…_

Sakura stared at Naruto as well. Her inner persona was, for the first time anywhere, lacking the words to say, having been shocked into silence.

Amazingly, Hinata broke the silence. "Naruto-kun-" she began, but started as Naruto whipped his head up to gaze at her levelly. She sucked in a breath and continued. "We just wanted to see if you were doing better; we all care about you, Naruto-kun. _I wish I could tell you just how much…._"

She sighed. "We're sorry for… for eavesdropping."

Shino and Shikamaru nodded assent, while Ino blushed.

Sakura remained silent. Something had been ignited within her, something that frightened her, yet exhilarated her at the same time. She waited to hear what came next.

Shikamaru addressed Naruto directly. "Naruto, we're your friends. You have done so much for Konoha. We won't think any less of you no matter what you tell us. On my first mission, you tried more than anyone to make it a success. So please explain what you and Hokage-sama were talking about?"

Naruto's gaze had softened when Hinata spoke. She had touched the core of his soul, and he was thrilled. _She always knows how to lift my spirits,_ he thought, thinking back to the Chuunin exams.

Shikamaru was right again, he realized. They were his precious people for a reason; they were strong. They were his friends.

Naruto wiped away his tears.

In a subdued monotone, he told the story of how the Kyuubi was essentially immortal. How it could not be killed. How the Yondaime, his hero, had sealed the demon inside Naruto's stomach, sacrificing his life to save the village. He told how Arashi had wanted Naruto to be accepted as a hero.

He told them how, instead of accepting him, he was shunned. How parents refused to let their children play with him. How villagers would beat him and throw things at him.

He stopped as he realized that the three kunoichi were in tears, and that Shino and Shikamaru were staring open-mouthed at him. He looked away, embarrassed, then suddenly lifted his shirt and channeled some chakra.

The genin watched, amazed, as the seal which imprisoned the Kyuubi appeared on his navel.

Naruto released the chakra and waited.

Shino collected his wits. "Naruto, I do not know you as well as the others do. But I can say this: I have not seen anything from you that is not worthy of the burden the Yondaime put on you." Naruto's face fell, but Shino said, "The Yondaime chose wisely when he selected you to bear the Kyuubi. I give you my thanks, Naruto-san, for your sacrifice."

Naruto stared, and nodded his thanks to Shino, gratified that at least one had accepted him again.

Ino sputtered, "Well, DUH! I mean, he kicked Neji's butt in the Chuunin exams! Of course Naruto's amazing!"

He blushed, but started at the sound coming from Hinata.

"Naruto-kun," she began. "You are truly strong. I can't believe that you haven't destroyed this village and everyone in it for what they did to you. Yet you persevered! I can only hope that I… that we can help you in the future. You are stronger than anyone I know, and I… I am proud to know you!" she finished, blushing.

Naruto almost wept right then and there. He glanced at the floor, then met Hinata's pearl-eyed gaze.

_Beautiful…_ he thought, then shook it off. "Arigato… Hinata-chan," he mumbled. Hinata simply turned beet-red at the –chan suffix recently added to her name, and could not reply.

Naruto turned to the only one who had not yet spoken.

Sakura rose from her seat and approached Naruto.

"So the Kyyubi… the nine-tailed demon fox that killed my father and dozens of Konoha ninja… is inside you?"

He nodded dumbly.

Sakura knelt down in front of him and sent a hand towards his face.

Naruto shut his eyes, bracing himself for the slap that would cause him more pain than a thousand chidoris.

However, he blinked rapidly when he realized that she was tracing the whisker marks on his cheeks. "Sakura-chaaaan…." He stammered out, blushing, until he was pulled into a bone crunching hug.

"Oh, Naruto!" she sobbed. "I'm so sorry! I've treated you like trash all this time, and you had already suffered so much!" She hiccupped and ceased sobbing, though the tears still fell. "I'll make it up to you, I promise! Can you forgive me?" She looked into his eyes, pleading emerald meeting ice-cold blue.

Naruto suddenly grinned. "Of course, Sakura-chan!"

Sakura gave a little laugh, then stopped when she remembered the last thing Naruto said.

"_I regret it now. I'm not gonna go after him and become like Sasuke-teme, but if I see him again, I will kill him."_

"_And that's a promise!"_

Sakura backed away from Naruto and sat down. "Naruto… if you see Sasuke again…" she began, not realizing she had dropped the –kun suffix. "Are you really going to kill him?"

Naruto looked down at his bandages, then back at Sakura, ignoring the others.

"Sakura-chan, I'm not going to hunt him down or anything…"

Sakura breathed a sigh of relief, but caught her breath at his next words.

"But if I meet him again, then yes. Yes, I will kill Sasuke-teme if I have to."

Sakura looked deep into Naruto's eyes, and realized that there was no stopping the blonde shinobi. _Besides… he promised._

"Okay Naruto," Sakura said. "But when you do meet Sasuke, I will be with you. You won't have to do it alone. This I promise."

Naruto was shocked by her words, but even more so when Shikamaru said, "Naruto, I'll be right there with you; can't leave you to such a troublesome confrontation alone with just a woman to help, can I?"

Though Ino shot him a glare that would have curdled milk, she gave her assent. "What Shikamaru said. I'll be there for you Naruto. We won't leave you alone again!"

Shino nodded. Naruto nodded back; through that simple action, volumes were spoken. Shino would be there.

Hinata smiled. "Naruto... I will always be there for you. I hope you know that."

Naruto smiled genuinely, and it melted Hinata's heart. Instead of the usual fox-grin, here was a smile which radiated joy. She nodded once, then got up. "Gomen, Naruto-kun but… it is late, and I must return to bring Neji back to the Hyuuga House."

The others brought forth similar reasons, and were ushered out by the Hokage

Who turned before closing the door, whispering "Sakura, see me in my office." The kunoichi started, then smiled widely and ran off to the Hokage Tower. Tsunade watched her go, then turned back to Naruto.

Tsunade met his gaze evenly, honeyed brown meeting ocean blue.

"Told you so," she grinned, shutting the door on Naruto's protest.

* * *

Naruto stared at the ceiling, having laid down for the night, thinking about what his new friends had just said to him. But mostly, the faces of Sakura and Hinata danced through his mind's eye. 

He groaned, but the groan quickly turned to a yelp as a small thump shook the room.

"What the-"

WHAAAAAAAAAAM!

"Hey!"

Naruto spun around to a familiar sight. There, standing atop an enormous toad, was the legendary sannin himself.

"Hi there, Ero-sennin!" Naruto yelled, as Jiraiya fell of the toad.

He leapt up to the windowsill, bopping Naruto on the head. "How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?"

Naruto grined cheekily. "You won't live long enough to get them all said, Ero-sennin."

Jiraiya sighed, then sat on the ledge, patting the area next to him. Naruto, taking a hint for once, jumped onto the sill and sat down next to Jiraiya.

"SO!" He boomed, turning to face the thirteen year-old jinchuuriki. "How'd you like to leave Konoha for three years to train under me!"

And with a resounding thump, Naruto landed on the ground outside the hospital. Grumbling, he gathered chakra to his feet and nonchalantly walked up the wall back to where Jiraiya sat, chuckling.

_My my…_ he thought. _The story Tsunade told me was true. Naruto managed to fight an entire battle while utilizing water-walking. His control his accelerating rapidly… good thing too, for what I have planned!_

Jiraiya's laugh turned evil, causing Naruto to elbow him in the ribs. "Neh, Ero-sensei, when do we leave?"

Jiraiya face-vaulted at the new title, but decided that at least he had apparently accepted him as his teacher.

He grinned. "Naruto, why do you want to become strong?"

Naruto looked out at a pitch-black sky filled with stars, and answered, "Because I have to protect my precious people from Orochimaru and Akatsuki."

Jiraiya stared in open wonder at the blonde shinobi, who grinned cheekily. "Ero-sensei, I'm tired of acting stupid to get people's attention. I'm more attentive than even you thought, neh?"

Jiraiya glared at the boy, and then softened his gaze. "That's a good reason, boy. You are truly strong, boy. Maybe there's hope for you yet."

He got up and leapt back to the toad, waking it from a peaceful slumber. "Pack your things and meet me by the northern gate tomorrow morning at sunrise."

Naruto saluted. "Osu! Oh, wait!"

Jiraiya turned. "What is it, boy?"

Naruto got up, puzzled. "What is true strength?"

Jiraiya stared, then burst out laughing. "Oh, my boy," he wheezed. "If you don't know what it is that makes you strong now, when you do realize it you will be unstoppable! Hahahahah!"

And with that, the toad launched itself into the sky.

* * *

Naruto climbed back into bed, pondering his new sensei's words. Then, it hit him like a ton of bricks. 

"I'm going to be trained for three years by one of the legendary Sannin…" He wondered aloud….

He leapt from the vastly uncomfortable hospital bed and jumped out the window silently, his prankster's sense kicking in once more. He dashed across the rooftops silently, heading for his apartment with one thought in mind:

"_Must…pack…ramen!"_

* * *

Yippee! Another chapter done! BOO-YAH! 

R&R y'all! The next two chapters will focus first on the three years in Konoha, then will center on Naruto's training.

Rock on!


	5. Evil For Evil's Sake

Hello all! Thanks for reading this far; I hope you've all enjoyed it!

The next three chapters will be an interlude of sorts, focusing on Akatsuki and Orochimaru, Konoha, and Naruto respectively. I won't have much to say about two of those (gee, I wonder which?), but this is also a way for me to deal with my research paper and my final exams!

Now, onto evil! Meheheheheh…

* * *

Chapter 5, Part 1: Evil for Evil's Sake

KA-BOOOOOOOOOOOM!

Kabuto winced as yet another earth-shattering explosion shook the halls of Orochimaru's latest lair. It was that time of the week again, when Orochimaru and Uchiha Sasuke would spar. Orochimaru declared that if Sasuke could survive weekly spars with the Snake Sannin, he would truly become strong.

Sasuke was like clay in his hands.

"Honestly, Orochimaru-sama plays that boy like Mozart plays a piano!" Kabuto exclaimed aloud.

He paused in his scribing of a summoning scroll to wonder just who the hell Mozart was, and why he thought of this person.

Kabuto shrugged, and went back to his ink. Orochimaru had "asked" him that he create a summoning scroll for Kusanagi, as pulling the sword from his mouth created too large of an opening in combat; also, it would allow his future vessels to wield the sword without having to go through the trial Manda the snake boss set forth, and that was-

BLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM!

Kabuto cursed fluently and colorfully at the inkblot that appeared on the scroll. With a few hasty seals he cleared it up, and dipped his pen back into the chakra-infused ink.

_

* * *

I hate Mondays…He thought bitterly. He could just imagine the scene right now…_

Orochimaru grinned as Sasuke rose from the floor panting. He was pleased at the boy's endurance, but he knew it was far off from his own, as he had yet to breathe heavily. Their spars consisted of a set pattern: for the first part, only ninjutsu and genjutsu could be used by either one of them. Naturally, this was to increase Sasuke's store of jutsus and increase his hand-seal speed. Orochimaru also stipulated that the Sharingan be active at all times, so that Sasuke's body would be used to have it activated at all times, except when he was sleeping and near the point of chakra depletion.

_Besides,_ the Sannin thought, _I do so love gazing upon the fabled eye…oh, was that a pun?_

He shrugged and gathered some chakra into his hands, molding it into water. With barely a thought he thrust the chakra forward to split the fireball Sasuke had launched in his moment of contemplation. This was the other aspect of this duel that Orochimaru insisted upon: learning to mold chakra into the five natures rapidly to deflect jutsus. Even though Sasuke could use jutsus of all five natures, one could only mold the natures that one had affinity to for the process of blocking a jutsu with pure chakra.

Needless to say, Orochimaru enjoyed flinging air jutsus at the lightning-oriented boy, though every now and then he remembered that he could also mold fire on command.

Sasuke on his end gleaned no enjoyment from these duels except when Orochimaru used a new jutsu, which was copied and stored in the Uchiha's Sharingan. Today, he had only seen one, and it wasn't very-

Sasuke paused as Orochimaru held up a hand, signaling the end of part one. Sasuke grinned; this was his favorite part of the day: taijutsu spar, no other jutsu allowed. It was the one area where Sasuke ever gained an advantage over the Sannin. In the jutsu duels he was constantly surviving, sometimes by the skin of his teeth, but with the Sharingan, he was almost unmatched in taijutsu.

The only problem was that Orochimaru knew more taijutsu styles and techniques than he thought fathomable.

Sasuke was reminded of this rather forcibly as he was ejected into the air by his sensei's boot.

Sasuke groaned. _Focus!_ He mentally screamed, and twisted in midair to block the Sannin's combo.

_Good…_ Orochimaru thought. _You advance marvelously…_

He attacked again.

* * *

Kabuto rolled up the completed scroll, sealed it with a minor jutsu, and put it aside. He then began writing a message to his other benefactors, ones far more powerful than Orochimaru, though that gap was slowly being closed.

"I hope Itachi still advances in strength; I hate losing bets," Kabuto muttered.

* * *

"A-choo!"

"I beg your pardon?"

"It was nothing."

"Oh. Okay then," said Deidara, swiftly backing away from the red-eyed man who came close to ruling them all.

Itachi cursed under his breath. He hated sneezing; it was uncontrollable, and left one wide open to attack by any competent ninja, the only ones worth worrying about.

He continued to pace his room back and forth, plotting and planning just how to acquire the bijuu trapped within Uzumaki Naruto. He recalled his conversation with Kisame just before their first attempt.

"_You may be able to fight him evenly, but I cannot," Kisame said._

"_You are right," Itachi agreed. "Though even if I were to fight him, I would lose. If we both fought him, in the best-case scenario we would kill him, but we also would die."_

_Itachi looked up into the sun. "Even if we had more men, the result would be the same."_

_Kisame turned to face Itachi. "His caretaker is the legendary Sannin…."_

Itachi cursed. For all his power, for all his commander's power, that stupid blonde idiot possessed more than any mortal on earth. Now that he was being trained by Jiraiya-san, he would only learn how to control that power. Once that moment of control came, Naruto-kun's power would increase exponentially as the barrier to controlling his own chakra, which was rapidly assimilating the Kyuubi's chakra, would be torn down.

"He could kill any one of us that he pleased…" He muttered.

Then, it hit him like a ton of dango.

The idea began to form inside Itachi's mind, and he grabbed it. He took two, added two and got four, then proceeded to do all sorts of other equally complex mathematics until the finished plan lay in his mind's eye, more beautiful to Itachi than anything he had ever dreamed.

Without a second's hesitation he twisted the ring on his finger and teleported to his leader, who was reclining in a chair.

"Hey Itachi," he greeted, as if he was expecting him.

He probably was.

Itachi inclined his head, and then said, "I have found a solution to the Kyuubi problem."

Sharingan stared into the red eyes of the leader.

"Good. Might I inquire as to what it is?"

Itachi grinned, and it was more terrifying than anything the leader had ever seen. He wondered just how powerful Itachi was.

"I'll give you a hint," Itachi said monotonously, thought the grin remained. "We need to recover Orochimaru's ring…"

Red eyes widened, then shut as Itachi's leader threw back his head and laughed.

* * *

Well, well, well... I wonder what Itachi's up to? Or Orochimaru?

Oh, wait... no I don't. I already know! By the way, Itachi's little math thought was taken from Harrison's _The Stainless Steel Rat_ novels - good science fiction read!

Next chappie's all about Konoha in Naruto's absence. Enjoy!

R&R!


	6. Dancing Leaves

EDITED: 10/07/2007

Hello all! Thanks for all your encouraging reviews! I hope you all enjoy reading this as much as I enjoy writing it!

Not much else to say, 'cept hope y'all enjoy readin'!

* * *

Chapter 5b – The Dancing Leaves

_Thwap-thwap! Thwap-bap-bap-bap-bap! Thwap-Thwap-BLAM!_

The taijutsu log which Hinata had been pounding away at for the past few seconds shattered under the force of her rapid strikes.

Neji sighed. "Hinata-sama, if-"

"Neji, how many times have I told you not to call me that? Call me Hinata-imouto-chan at least!" Hinata cheerfully interrupted. "Honestly, for a guy with the best eyes in Konoha, your ears sure could use some tuning!"

Neji chuckled resignedly. "Very well… Hinata-imouto-chan. But as I was saying, if you keep blowing up Lee's special taijutsu logs, he may very well get mad at us."

Hinata grinned uncharacteristically. "Mad enough to attack me?" She questioned innocently. "I wouldn't want that; I've only been trying to get him to fight me for the past ten weeks!" She finished sarcastically.

_Maybe that grin isn't so uncharacteristic after all…_ thought Neji. He laughed and said, "Well, if you must know there's a reason he hasn't accepted your challenge yet."

Hinata sucked in her breath and stood squarely, hands at her sides.

"Oh? It wouldn't have to do with the conversation I saw you two having in the forest a few weeks ago?"

_Dammit!_ Neji cursed silently. "Hinata, you were a mile away at the training ground. Did you sneak up on us?"

Neji's eyes widened when she shook her head, a proud smile gracing her angelic features. Soft blue hair bounced playfully around her head until Hinata stilled her head-shaking as she pointed to her eyes.

"Amazing…" Neji whispered. "How did you see that far?" He wondered aloud.

"Simple. All you have to do is concentrate the charka in your eyes and shape it into a fine point in the direction you want to see. Not very useful for combat, but an excellent scouting technique!" Hinata finished gleefully.

Neji shook his head in wonder. Three years. Three years of intense training and Hinata was ready to surpass him.

"Amazing, imouto-chan. But your ears are no better than mine-"

"Hey"

"-and so here's what I said: 'Lee, if Hinata ever beats me in a spar, will accept her challenge?' and he said yes."

Hinata's eyes widened as Neji fell into the Jyuuken stance.

"Well, Hinata-nii-chan? Just how badly do you wish to fight Lee?"

Wordlessly and motionlessly, Hinata activated her Byakugan. She leapt into motion, hurling three kunai at her cousin, who caught one and used it to deflect the others.

_Wait a minute… _He though rapidly. _I've seen that opening move before…_

_Naruto!_

Oddly enough, that name ran through Neji's and Hinata's minds as their hands met in a burst of charka.

_Naruto-kun,_ Hinata thought as she parried Neji's riposte, nimbly spinning around while leaning forward to deliver a vicious kick to Neji's head, which was blocked and turned aside.

_Naruto-kun… this is for you!_

Hinata recovered her footing and jumped away as Neji slammed into the ground with a high kick. Both Hyuuga had been developing ways to add more moves to the Jyuuken combat style, as it tended to be too one-dimensional – no kicks meant an easy taijutsu opening, one they knew someone like Lee would be all too happy to exploit.

Hinata rushed Neji again, left leading and right held in check behind her back. Her right palm shot forward like a bullet, only to be parried by Neji who struck back with his right.

Hinata smiled and caught his hand with her outstretched left. Neji's eyes widened as she pulled him forward, elbow sailing into his stomach. He "oofed" as he found himself sailing over Hinata's head as she threw him. He flipped in midair to land on his feet to face Hinata's next charge.

_She's fast…_ he thought. _Time to take it up a notch._

Unfortunately for Neji, the same thought once again ran through Hinata's mind.

She met Neji, and the rapid _pish-pish_ of Jyuuken strikes reverberated throughout the training ground.

From his vantage point high above the battle, Rock Lee watched as the strikes began to land so rapidly the Hyuugas's hands began to blur.

_Amazing… I am no longer sure who I would like to fight more… my old rival Neji… or Hinata._

He returned his attention to notice Hinata hurtling though the air, arm pointed forward like a spear.

Neji grinned and initiated the Kaiten.

Hinata was flung away, but managed to land on her feet some twenty feet away. Her eyes widened as she observed the crater Neji now stood in.

"Neji… your kaiten is almost as big as Father's!" She exclaimed.

Neji grinned, and charged Hinata. "I'm not all defense, imouto! Now it's your turn!"

He launched a combo, which Hinata, instead of parrying the blows, weaved gracefully in and out of Neji's strikes, causing them all to miss by three hairs-breadth.

Hinata focused all her charka, feeling it mold inside her system. She jumped away, and as she predicted, Neji came running forward.

**_Hakke Rokujyuuyonshou!_ **(Divination Shield, 64 Strikes!)

She simply smiled, then shouted out Neji's coffin nails:

**_Shugohakke Rokujyuu Yonshou!_** (Guardian of the 8 Seals, 64 Strikes!)

Neji almost halted in surprise. _What is this move? It's not in any Jyuuken scroll I'VE ever read!"_

He had no choice but to begin striking Hinata's tenketsu.

Now, Hinata's technique normally created strings of charka which she, using her unparalleled flexibility, would swing about with feet firmly on the ground.

Amazing how observing a simple **_Gatsouga_** can inspire.

By forcing herself to keep using the technique while at the same time avoiding Kiba and Akamaru's famous attack, she learned to increase the flexibility of her secret move even more.

The result was devastating.

Neji shot two strikes at Hinata in rapid succession, but they were deflected just as quickly, if not faster, by Hinata's chakra "lasers". As she spun away, Neji spotted his next targets and struck again.

Hinata halted her spin and swiped upwards, arms almost wind-milling, to send Neji's chakra-filled hands upwards as well with repeated hits.

Hinata smiled, almost evilly, before whipping her arms towards Neji, using her chakra beams like knives to slice into Neji over and over again, her speed rivaling Lee's Lotus.

"64!" Hinata yelled, before planting her feet and assuming the Jyuuken stance once again. Her breathing, heavy and labored, smoothed and became slower.

Neji had been blown away by the power of the counterattack. He skidded on his back before coming to a rest. He struggled to a standing position once again, and did a quick self-diagnosis.

Almost all of his chakra system had been shredded to hell. Sure, it would repair within a few minutes, but his more powerful techniques would cause his system to temporarily shut down if he tried to use him. He realized that if Hinata wanted too, she could have killed him with that last attack.

_She must be able to control the keenness and diameter of those chakra beams!_ Neji thought.

He held up his had just in time to stop Hinata's next charge.

"I surrender, imouto. You win… this time!" He finished with a grin.

Hinata returned it. "Anytime you are ready, nii-san, so am I!" She proclaimed. "And I don't take back my words! That's my nindo!"

* * *

Lee chuckled before leaping away.

_If we were to fight, I can honestly say I have no idea who would win. Amazing, Hinata-san. You have become so strong._

* * *

"Ah, Konoha! You have truly recovered…" Tsunade said proudly as she read the day's reports. Konoha's economy was thriving once more, and ninja levels had almost returned to normal. With the assurance of Jiraiya that they were safe from attack for a few years, Tsunade had directed all of her resources towards returning Konoha to its former glory.

She leaned back in her chair and produced a bottle of sake, seemingly out of thin air. Pouring herself a cup, she allowed her mind to think back on her latest three years as Hokage.

She had known the minute Sakura walked into her office that day three years ago that she was going to ask to be trained. Tsunade had confronted Sakura after Naruto's departure, and told her that though she didn't expect her to survive, Tsunade would take on Sakura as her apprentice.

However, Sakura had done more than survive. She had thrived throughout Tsunade's vicious training, and was approaching the Hokage's level, though she still had a ways to go, especially in terms of stamina. Sakura had always had a weak stamina, and now she had just caught up with the average ninja her age.

'Average' was not a word in Tsunade's vocabulary. She grinned demonically as she thought about the next challenge that awaited Sakura.

_But Sakura's not the only one who's improving,_ she mused as she sipped the sweet liquor. All of the genin that Naruto had known and met had advanced in leaps and bounds, though one in particular stood out above the rest:

Hyuuga Hinata.

Whatever was driving that girl, Tsunade wanted some of it. She had gone from being a shy, quiet kunoichi to a fierce, joyful spirit with the strength to back it up. Tsunade had just found out from a very proud Hyuuga Hiashi that Hinata had defeated Neji in a duel.

Tsunade wondered just how much the Hyuuga household had changed after Naruto defeated Neji in the Chuunin exam. Neji smiled much more often, and was frequently found laughing with Lee, Hinata, and especially Ten-ten, though he tended to blush in her company almost as much as he smiled. Hyuuga Hiashi also smiled more often, and Hinata had finally gained his approval as well as confidence in herself and her abilities.

When Naruto had departed the village at dawn, all the genin he had met, plus Tsunade and Iruka, were there to see him off…

_Tears in his eyes, Naruto met all of his friends eyes._

"_I'll come back, and I'll be stronger than ever! That's a promise!" He said, holding back sobs._

_Before he turned to go, Sakura, Lee, and Neji stopped him. Sakura had given him a hug ("Come back soon!" she whispered, "And I'll be stronger!"), Lee had given him the nice-guy pose and a set of white armbands, and Neji had simply smiled and shook his hand. Then, Naruto had waved and dashed off after Jiraiya, who had already started walking._

_Before he got too far though, Hinata had ran out after him and stopped him again. Before her mind could catch up to her body, she had given him a fierce hug, shoved some ointment into his hands, and ran back to rejoin the others. Naruto had blushed, muttered 'arigato', and went ahead to Jiraiya, who was shaking his head with laughter._

_Naruto,_ Tsunade thought. _You change people for the better wherever you go. You'll make a find Hokage someday._

Tsunade pictured Naruto in her position, a mountain of paperwork looming over his blonde locks.

She laughed helplessly. _Oh well,_ she thought. _Comes with the job!"_

She lifted a toast to the number-one most surprising ninja, and downed the rest of the sake.

* * *

Hinata walked along the road to the Hyuuga House, humming a happy tune and gazing at the sky.

To say that she had forgotten Naruto would be to say that she had forgotten her nindo. Instead of letting Naruto fade from her mind's eye, he had intensified. She drew upon the memory of him for strength, and sought to emulate what made her admire him. His confidence, his kindness, his never-ending loyalty and strength…

In the end, Hinata fulfilled her wish and changed herself. She had matured into a strong young woman of sixteen (in many different ways!), and was excited by the prospect of Naruto's return.

Instead of blushing and fainting, and she was wont to do in his presence, Hinata planned to gain Naruto's attention and trust. Her admiration of him had turned into more than that, but Hinata was not yet ready to face these new, unfamiliar feelings. For whenever she thought of the blonde shinobi, her heart fluttered and ached to be with him once again; she wanted to spend time with him and get to know him better. She wanted to show him that she was strong!

Lost in her thoughts, she looked up only to realize that her legs had taken her to the North Gate of Konoha, the very same gate by which Naruto had left the village promising to return. She sighed softly, and turned to leave when she heard a rustle from the forest.

She spun around, activating her Byakugan, and began to scan the forest, searching for the source of the noise. Narrowing her chakra into a point she stared at the path leading away from Konoha.

She saw two figures, one tall and large, the other just tall.

The tall one was rapidly speeding towards her!

Hinata squared herself into the Jyuuken stance and waited for the unidentified person to reach her.

When he came into sight and hearing, she almost went back on her word and fainted.

For skidding to a stop in front of her was a tall, blonde, muscled young man with a Konoha hitai and three pairs of whisker marks on his cheeks.

"Boy, I sure could use some ramen! I – I…" He finished lamely as he finally realized who was standing in front of him, eyes wide and mouth open in shock and happiness.

"Hinata-chan?"

With a squeal of joy, she ran towards Naruto until she was wrapped into a quick hug by the blonde Hokage-to-be. "Naruto-kun!" She yelled, muffled though she was by Naruto's chest. Blushing softly, she pulled away to look at Naruto.

His deep blue eyes shone with happiness that made Hinata's heart melt.

"I really missed Konoha, Hinata-chan!" He declared happily, eyes twinkling with wisdom far beyond his years.

Dizzy with ecstasy, Hinata realized that Naruto was blushing profusely.

"I gotta run and see the Hokage with Ero-sensei Hinata, but I wanna see all my friends again next! Can you get everyone together and tell them to meet me at Ichiaraku Ramen?"

Hinata nodded her head vigorously. Naruto nodded once, then brought his hands together in a ram seal, but he was stopped by Hinata's hand.

"Naruto-kun?"

"Yeah, Hinata-chan?"

She thought briefly about asking him why he missed her most of all (more than Sakura-san, even!), or of asking him any number of questions, but realized that they would all be answered in time. Instead, she hugged him gently.

"Welcome back, Naruto-kun," she said softly as she pulled away.

Naruto smiled, and Hinata was thrilled to see a genuine smile in place of the fake grin he used to wear.

Naruto's hands blurred together and he disappeared even faster.

Tsunade lowered her cup in disbelief.

"Yondaime?" She whispered as she saw the tall blonde ninja in front of her, flanked by her old teammate Jiraiya.

"Hey there Baa-chan! Didja miss me?" Naruto exclaimed.

Tsunade could only smile as the tears rolled down her cheeks.

* * *

Woo-hoo! Another chapter down! More to come!

BOO-YAH! I'm leaning towards HinataxNaruto right now! I better get some convincing reasons for NarutoxSakura! I'm not against it or anything!

R&R!


	7. Training and a Challenge

Woot! Over 10,000 words! BOO-YAH! Thanks for reading and for all your awesome reviews!

Hope y'all enjoy readin':

* * *

Chapter 6 – Training

Tsunade walked around from behind her mountain of paperwork to get a better look at whom she considered a son.

Spiky blonde locks tumbled in a mass around his head reaching down around his shoulders. A face with high cheekbones accentuated by long, black whisker marks sat on proud shoulders; deep, wise, blue eyes which shone with happiness gazed back at Tsunade. She noticed absentmindedly that Naruto seemingly finished growing. All traces of baby fat were gone from his body, and only toned muscle remained. Reaching six-feet tall, Naruto cut quite a handsome figure.

_Poor guy'll have to beat the ladies off with a stick… _Tsunade thought amusedly.

She pulled him into a quick but firm hug.

"Welcome back, brat," she drawled as she sat back down at her desk.

She didn't fool Naruto though, who could see the genuine happiness in her eyes.

"Well, Baa-chan, I-"

CRASH!

With a resounding boom, the door to the Hokage's office blew open. In charged more ninja than Naruto had ever seen in one room.

Shino, who was taller and in his new black trench coat looked more mysterious than ever, eyebrows raised at Naruto, who now towered over him; Naruto swore he saw him smile.

Lee, still outfitted in his crazy green spandex, immediately assumed the nice-guy pose, thumb prominently pointed up. Naruto perceived a buzzing energy about the boy, but couldn't place where it came from.

**_That boy is powerful, kit…_** mumbled a deep voice which only Naruto could hear.

_Yeah, yeah…_Naruto thought back.

He continued his appraisal of the new arrivals. He noted Hinata, absentmindedly staring at him. He waved; she blushed, and met his eyes, which were already moving.

Kakashi was quietly shutting the door, and when he turned around his eye was closed and a grin visible underneath his two masks.

Ino and Shikamaru stood remarkably close together, but while Ino seemed to be enjoying it, Shikamaru was gazing out the window, presumably at the clouds.

Naruto finally laid eyes on Sakura.

_Wow…_ he thought. _I've heard of girls changing over the summer, but… wow!_

Hinata, Sakura, and Ino had done the natural thing in the three years Naruto had gone away: they had grown up. They had filled out considerably and were probably looking like they would for the next few decades. Naruto whistled in his mind.

He also saw Neji and Tenten, who nodded slightly. Naruto then turned his attention to the group as a whole.

He smiled widely.

"HI!" he shouted, as the others covered their ears. Tsunade hid a smile behind her hand.

"So," Naruto began, approaching Sakura. "Are you strong enough? Not gonna hold me back anymore?" He asked playfully as he jabbed her arm gently.

The jab never landed as Sakura swung her other hand around to grab Naruto's firmly. Naruto's eyes widened, then almost popped out of their sockets as he was pulled into a bone-crunching hug.

"OOF!" he exclaimed muffedly.

"I missed you, dobe," Sakura muttered. She pushed him away slightly, a light blush gracing her cheeks which Naruto dismissed. His friends had huddled together at this point, and broke apart to reveal Shino, Hinata, Shikamaru, Sakura, Ino, Neji, and Lee bearing an ornate wooden box. It was plated with gold, and inscribed on the top was a single word:

_Uzumaki_… Naruto read silently.

"We found this one day buried in the archives, Naruto," Tsunade said. "They're not sure where it came from, but it DOES have your name on it. This is your homecoming present, but don't open it here; you'll want to open it when you get settled into your new house."

Naruto picked his jaw up off the floor. "House… box… anything else I should know about?"

"Well," Neji began, "everyone in this room wants to fight you, but other than that not much!" He finished grinning.

Naruto stared at him as if he had two heads.

"Yes Naruto, it's me, Neji. A lot has changed since you were gone, but you'll hear it later. For now, tell us what you did the past few years!"

Choruses of "Yeah!", and "Hurry up!" assailed Naruto's ears. He glanced out the window, catching a certain white-haired man's eye on the rooftop next door.

The white-haired man nodded. Satisfied, Naruto turned around and said, "Well, grab a seat everyone, because this is a long story."

When they did so, he suddenly flared his chakra.

The entire office shook with the immense force of Naruto's chakra. So much power was emanating from him that everyone's hair was blown away by the force.

Naruto ceased and said, "That's the result of my three year training."

And so he began…

"As you might already know, Jiraiya of the Legendary Sannin took me away from Konoha for a training trip which was to last three years. Along the way he outlined his plans. At the end of three years, my chakra control would match Tsunade-sama's, my strength and speed would be greater than I could ever imagine, and my stamina would be unmatched by anyone."

"Naturally, I was excited at first, but soon that feeling evaporated. You don't acquire those skills in three years by taking it slow. Ero-sensei ground me into the dirt with control techniques, new ninjutsu, and taijutsu practice everyday. This was in addition to the history tutoring I was given along with severe psychological and emotional training."

"Frankly, it sucked. I was trapped between a rock and a hard place: I refused to give up, but I also realized that I would soon die of chakra exhaustion if I didn't do something fast. I asked why we weren't building my stamina, but he always deflected my questions."

"Then, it happened."

Naruto lifted up his shirt, causing the girls to blush at his well-toned abs. He gathered his chakra, amazing them all again at the sheer, controlled power he exhibited.

Sakura noticed it first. Hesitantly, she asked, "Naruto, where's your seal?"

He grinned. "There's no need for it anymore," he said smugly. "They say you shouldn't mess with demons, but I was pretty desperate at the time."

"I asked myself, 'Who had more chakra than any being known to man? Who's chakra is so powerful that it affects the outside world without even needing to be formed? Who's living inside my stomach?'"

"The Kyuubi," Sakura whispered. "Naruto, Kyuubi didn't get loose, did he?"

Naruto laughed. "No, but he tried! Closest I ever came to dying too, lemme tell ya!"

They gasped. Neji activated his Byagukan and looked closely at Naruto's chakra system. It seemed perfectly normal, nothing at all like what he witnesses during the Chuunin Exam.

"Naruto, what happened to your red chakra?" He asked, deactivating his kekkai genkai. "I can't detect any trace of it in your chakra system."

Naruto grinned. "You'll have to check again, Neji, because I think you're quite mistaken."

Puzzled, Neji reactivated his Byakugan, and immediately scrunched his eyes shut.

Hinata, wondering what could possibly be causing Neji to cringe, also activated the Byakugan.

Before she was forced to close her eyes from the sheer intsensity of Naruto's chakra, she noticed its great abundance and its unnatural red color; almost demonic in nature.

"Hinata, what have I done to my chakra?" Naruto asked patiently, knowing she had figured out his secret.

She frowned. "It seems that you've converted it into this red chakra. I'm not saying you're a demon, Naruto, but that chakra is definitely demonic."

Naruto sighed. "Well Hinata, your correct on every account, including the demon part."

Shikamaru frowned. "Naruto, you absor-"

"Shhh!" Naruto interrupted. "You'll ruin the story!" He complained childishly, causing Sakura to giggle.

_Oh Naruto,_ she thought, _you've changed so much and yet not at all; the best way to change._

"I basically confronted the Kyuubi in my own mindscape. It was like a big cavern-type room with a giant cage that had a little piece of paper with a seal on it. Ero-sensei had actually just finished telling me how the seal that the Yondaime created was completely unknown; not even old man Sandaime knew exactly what it did. So I tried to find out. I said, 'Fox, I want you to try and escape. I'll bet you can't!'"

He laughed. "The ancient demon, for all his wisdom, couldn't deny the challenge for freedom. He immediately began slamming against the cage with all his might. But as soon as he did, I tried to gather some of his chakra."

Tsunade's eyes widened. "Naruto…"

Naruto turned around and grinned. "It's okay baa-chan, I told you Kyuubi's not loose or anything."

He refocused. "Basically, as Kyuubi was ripping the cage a new one he completely missed the fact that I was somehow draining chakra from him; it literally seeped out from the cage and into me. This was like after a year of training, so I had grown a little and my own chakra apparently equaled the fox's. Ero—sensei said something about the seal helping Kyuubi merge with me, yadda yadda yadda…"

Shikamaru was amazed that even someone like Naruto couldn't appreciate the wisdom of a Legendary Sannin.

"Anyways," Naruto continued, "unlike other times when after I accessed the Kyuubi's chakra it would go away, this time it didn't! It stayed inside my own chakra system; it was a really weird feeling, as if I overdosed on soldier pills or something! Anyways, the Kyuubi is getting smaller and smaller, and in this cavern, I'm getting more and more charged on chakra. Thanks to Jiraiya's tortuous control training, I had no problem assimilating the chakra and keeping it there. Eventually the Kyuubi just walked through the bars of the cage and looked up at me with the most evil glare he could muster."

Naruto laughed. "The only problem was that he was the cutest little nine-tailed fox I ever saw!"

Everyone tried to imagine a cute little Kyuubi.

Everyone did a little throw-up in their mouths.

Naruto caught their grimaces and hurried on. "In a nutshell, I got all of Kyuubi's chakra permanently, and he no longer has any sort of body. He exists only as a consciousness; sometimes he speaks to me! I think he's warmed up to my cheerful personality!"

_**Snort Whatever, brat!**_

Naruto went on unperturbed. "However, when I tried to summon the chakra, I realized I couldn't get it red! Only normal human chakra was stored in my body, or so I thought. Here's a question: how do ninja use elemental jutsu?"

Sakura chimed in, "The ninja changes the form, or shape, and the nature of the chakra, just like energy can be converted from electricity to sound in a walkie-talkie."

Naruto nodded. "At first, when Jiraiya taught me techniques I could use water and wind; now, I can only use wind techniques, but I have an element that no one will ever have!"

Realization struck Neji. "You can form your chakra into demonic chakra!"

Naruto nodded exuberantly. "What's more, it is no longer detrimental to use it! It doesn't hurt me, and it wears me out half as slowly as regular chakra! I think that was another intent of Yondaime's seal: that using my demon's chakra eventually wouldn't hurt me."

He smiled widely. "All of the techniques known in this room don't equal the amount I know now! Most of them are based on using pure chakra, like Neji's, Hinata's, and Lee's, but I do have a ton of wind techniques!"

He looked at Lee directly. "I want to fight you, Fuzzy-brows. My taijutsu is incredible now, modesty aside, but I want to see what real taijutsu combat is all about!"

Shino finally spoke. "Naruto, as strong as you are, I honestly don't think you stand a snowball's chance in hell against Lee. Not a single ninja in this village aside from Hokage-sama and Kakashi-sama can defeat him. Lee has finally achieved his goal and defeated Neji, though the battle lasted several hours."

Naruto's smile widened, then even more when Neji said, "Perhaps you should fight me or Hinata-nee-chan first. I'm always game for a rematch, but Hinata just beat me in a duel; maybe you'd like to try a fight with her?"

Then he leered. "Or are you afraid of hitting girls like Shika-kun?" he jibed.

Naruto only grinned. "Neji, you have no idea how many kunoichi tried to fight me over the past few years." He looked at Hinata, as if to say, "Well?"

Hinata was staring at the ground, but when she looked up her eyes were shining and her hands were trembling with anticipation.

"If you can beat me, Naruto-kun, you can fight Lee-san. Do you agree Lee, Naruto?"

Lee smiled. "I will gladly face Naruto in the fires of youth if he defeats you, Hinata-san, though after witnessing your battle today I wonder if I will get the chance!"

Naruto's eyes widened again, but he quickly smiled once more.

"I accept your challenge, Hinata-chan. See you at the training grounds!"

He quickly formed the dragon seal, and poofed away.

Hinata paled, then looked at her friends.

"Does anyone here know how to teleport yet besides Kakashi-sama?"

Everyone shook their heads while Kakashi chuckled.

"Hinata, what have you gotten yourself into?" He said jovially. Hinata just started for the door determinedly.

"I don't care," she said. "I'm going to show Naruto that I am truly strong!"

She glanced back at her friends, who hurriedly followed her out the door, followed by Tsunade.

_This is gonna be gooooood…._ She thought.

After all, it is the Hokage's job to personally know all of her ninja, and Hinata was no exception. Tsunade knew that Hinata would pull no punches in this fight; she wanted to prove to Naruto that she was worthy of his attention.

Tsunade checked to make sure everyone had left her office then locked the door. With a slight grin she whipped her hands into the ram seal and vanished in a poof of smoke.

* * *

Some minutes later Hinata found herself squared off against the object of her admiration, the blonde shinobi grinning slightly.

"Ready, Hinata-chan?"

She nodded.

"Good." He closed his eyes, and when he reopened them they were bright red. "Then let us fight."

He disappeared.

* * *

Woo-hoo! My first real fight scene is coming up next chapter! I hope I do a good job!

R&R, my friends. R,R, and enjoy.


	8. Clash, Clash, Boom

Hello again! Let's get ready to RUMBLE!

Give your attention to the west corner! The confident Hyuuga, HINATA!

And in the east corner, we have the contender for Konoha's number one spot, the tall, the dashing, the blonde, UZUMAKI NARUTO!

Enjoy!

* * *

Naruto disappeared, after tossing his new box to Tsunade, who caught it deftly. 

_He's fast!_ Thought Hinata as she activated her Byakugan. _I couldn't even see his after-image!_

Suddenly, she spotted something in the trees behind her. She whirled around to focus, and saw dozens of tiny balls of chakra being hurled at her. They were blinding for a moment, but her eyes readjusted to see that Naruto had seemingly thrown a bunch of rocks at her!

Rocks with chakra…

"Uh-oh," Hinata mumbled.

In an explosion of smoke the pebbles burst, revealing to Hinata about twenty shadow clones charging towards her. She smiled and destroyed the first two that reached her before they could react with two well-placed hits.

The rest of the clones attacked, and Hinata fended them off. However, whenever she tried to strike one of them again with a burst of chakra, instead of blocking, the clones dodged. And they were fast!

But Hinata wasn't stupid. She simply increased her speed until she could match the clones' incredible agility. Still, it took her awhile to get rid of them all, and she became extremely worried as to what Naruto had concocted in the time it took.

As the smoke from the last exploded clone dissipated, Hinata scanned the surrounding forest frantically, looking for any sign of chakra, when a human-shaped blob of the energy appeared within her vision and began walking towards her.

Hinata turned to face it, a determined look set in her face.

She suddenly yelped in pain as Naruto flared his chakra, molding it into demonic form at the same time. The result blinded Hinata and forced her to deactivate her Byakugan.

Naruto began to run, no expression visible on his face, as though he had locked his emotions up tight.

He reached Hinata leading with his right fist; she simply tilted her head to the left and dodged, bringing up her own palms and concentrating chakra to them. She lashed out with a one-two combo to Naruto's left shoulder, but he swatted them away with his left, then sent it flying towards her face.

She dropped to the ground, but instead of attempting the customary sweep with her legs, she went into a handstand and spun into a helicopter kick.

Unfortunately, Naruto simply caught one of her ankles as he dodged the blows. Hinata's eyes widened as she was lifted off the ground, Naruto still only using one hand. He then brought his other hand to hold her leg as he slammed her ruthlessly into the ground.

Hinata's breath whooshed out of her. Reactivating her Byakugan, she quickly rolled to the side and flipped back to stand; dodging the rasengan Naruto had just aimed at her.

Meanwhile, their friends watched with something close to horror.

_Naruto has been in control of this fight the whole time,_ Tsunade wondered. _Neither of them has even really started to fight, but Naruto has been absolutely ruthless. He's truly become a shinobi, but I hope his heart is still as big as ever._

Tsunade was brought out of her musings by a resounding crash as Naruto slammed into a tree, bending it in half. Hinata released a slow, even breath and settled back into a ready stance, having just used her Guardian Hakke to fling Naruto away.

_One to one, _thought Lee. _Now the real battle begins. Show me your strength, Naruto!_

Naruto shook himself, much like a dog getting dry, then showed his first emotion since the battle started.

He grinned. "Sorry Hinata. I know you're strong and everything, but I really want to fight Lee. I'm gonna end this now!"

Hinata stared at Naruto as a small smile spread across her face.

"Naruto, I'm disappointed in you."

Naruto's grin evaporated like water in the desert.

"You've always said to never underestimate someone, yet here you are thinking Lee is stronger than I am," Hinata continued. "Well…"

She disappeared to reappear right in front of Naruto, palm buried in his stomach.

"I am!" She finished triumphantly.

Naruto poofed out of existence.

Hinata paled and jumped straight up as a hail of shuriken shot from out of the surrounding woods in a perfect circle, with Hinata its center. As soon as she was airborn, more shuriken flew out of the trees seeking Hinata.

_I've never tried Hakke in midair before…_ she mused quickly.

She began flipping in midair, activating her chakra beams to slice apart the impending shuriken. Once they were all gone, Hinata landed safely to find Naruto 5 meters away.

"There's a reason **_Kage Bunshin_** is a kinjutsu – a forbidden technique," He began.

Hinata cut himoff by shooting a chakra beam directly at his heart, hoping secretly he would dodge the lethal blow and only be injured in another area.

He took it straight on and disappeared. Hinata spun around to see Naruto (_or a clone?_ She wondered wildly) standing again not 5 meters away.

"Everything a clone does during its lifespan is transferred to the originator once it is dispelled," he continued, as it he was never interrupted. "Also, clones have their own chakra system and all the accessories of the original; train them to dodge an enemy's attack, and you have a personal soldier!"

He grinned. "The only problem was that, up until me, no one had enough chakra to use it liberally. Now…" Naruto left it hanging in the air.

Hinata returned Naruto's smile. "Well, then I'll just have to find the original the hard way!" she said happily.

Naruto's eyes widened as Hinata raced through a few seals. When she finished, dozens of Hinata's shimmered into existence around her.

Naruto laughed. "Water clones made directly from water vapor! It takes almost no chakra, too! That's amazing, Hinata-chan!"

He closed his eyes briefly, and opened his new red ones. As if on cue, his veritable army of clones emerged from the forest to gather behind Naruto. With a seal they were dispelled; Hinata did the same.

Their audience was frozen; the final showdown was about to begin.

Naruto raised his hand before Hinata could charge him.

"Hinata," he began.

Hinata started at the absence of the recently added –chan suffix. She waited, breath held in.

Naruto set his face into a mask of expressionless features. "Don't hold back anymore!" He warned, and shot forward.

Hinata nodded, matching his stride. As one they attacked, fluidly blocking the others fists and palms as they struck one another. Naruto pivoted on his back foot and suddenly stopped, shooting his foot out towards Hinata's stomach. She could only spin away as the blow whipped by her; had she tried to catch it, she probably would be on the ground spitting up blood.

She recovered, and they began their deadly dance once again, Naruto enhancing his speed and strength with demonic chakra, Hinata using her Byakugan and Juuken. Individual blows became meaningless; for a few minutes, there was only strike, strike, parry, riposte, parry, and strike again. Sometimes blows were not even finished, hands touching gently before being whipped into the next attack.

Naruto began to alter his attacks, trying to lead Hinata to shift to the left. She did, and he flipped over her head suddenly, spinning at the same time to kick the back of her head. With cat-like reflexes and the aid of the Byakugan she flipped forward in time to bring her foot to meet his, propelling both of them away.

They landed several meters apart. Hinata, panting slightly, was amazed that Naruto had yet to take a deep breath.

_His battle-stamina is incredible. I have to take it up to the final notch now!_ She decided.

Hinata began forming seals slowly and deliberately, slowing her breathing to normal. Naruto stared calmly as she brought her hands together in the final dragon seal, and then brought her hands straight out away from her body and pointing away from each other, like she was going to start flapping.

Naruto examined her palms closely, and noticed a slight glow. His demonic vision was able to see Hinata's ninjutsu activate, and then he didn't need it. Visible chakra beams were emitting from her palms, but extended only a few feet out. They also did not dissipate; Naruto suspected that her seals enabled her chakra to have a greater permanence.

Hinata opened her eyes, Byakugan meeting demonic sight. "Naruto-kun, you cannot escape this attack no matter how fast you are. Please surrender."

Naruto sighed. "Hinata-chan," Hinata perked up at the sound of the added chan. "I no longer wish to win. Now, I wish to fight!" He finished with a smile.

Naruto's chakra flared again, and Hinata briefly wondered if she had gotten in over her head. She brushed the thought aside and concentrated on Naruto's latest technique.

"Remember how I said most of my new techniques were chakra manipulation?" he asked.

Hinata nodded.

"Well…" Nine chakra… tails was the best word Hinata could come up with emerged from Naruto's body. They looked corporeal, but she noticed they were slightly transparent.

_So its that chakra that can directly affect the physical world without needing additional molding…_ Hinata realized.

Naruto's body began to glow an eerie red.

He charged Hinata once again.

It was all she could do to block Naruto's chakra appendages. What she lacked in quantity, she made up for with her fluid flexibility. She nimbly commanded her body to weave in and out of Naruto's strikes, while managing to counterattack every now and then.

However, she knew that she would lose. Naruto was too fast, too strong, too powerful, too smart; she should surrender and just-

_NO! I will NOT give up! Naruto will never respect me if I give up now!_

With renewed vigor, Hinata swept away Naruto's tails and with a flurry of slashed cut as many apart as she could. When she spun around to face him again, she was delighted to see that he couldn't replace them right away, and was left with only two.

He grinned. "**_Scorpion Style: Two Tails!"_**

He arched his remaining tails over his head, just like a scorpion's stinger. Hinata began to frantically weave a shield as he began to strike with pinpoint accuracy at her body, tails speeding in and away like bullets.

Naruto had his concentration solely on his attack, but he still noticed the incredible control Hinata had to create this shield. Obviously she had left most of their friends behind in terms of strength, but how?

Suddenly, Naruto remembered the words Haku, the deceased nukenin from the mist that Kakashi had inadvertently slain in their battle with the demon of the mist, Zabuza of the Seven Shinobi Swordsman.

"_Do you have someone important that you wish to protect?" Haku had asked innocently._

"_Yeah! I have a few precious people, yeah!" Naruto had asserted._

_Haku smiled. "Work hard to protect them; fight for them, and you will become truly strong…"_

"Truly strong…" Naruto muttered as he directed his attacks to the center of Hinata's shield. His tails were regenerating quickly; they would be ready to come out again soon.

Hinata had obviously found someone precious to fight for, but whom? Naruto felt a slight twinge in his heart that he couldn't even begin to identify.

Shrugging the feeling aside, he concentrated briefly, and then exploded in a burst of chakra as seven tails blew forth from his body to assail Hinata's shield on the sides.

Hinata, who had focused her energy to protecting against the frontal attacks, whipped her body around to try and shield her flanks.

_Yes! I can do this! I can- _

She realized that the attacks were a feint a moment too late. With a cackle, pop, and a rush of air, her chakra weave was disintegrated as Naruto's nine tails suddenly shot in unison towards her center one last time. She yelled as they nailed her sternum, the force sending her backwards.

She hit the brakes – a tree – and slid down, dazed. She felt cold metal touch her neck, and smiled resignedly up at Naruto, who had gently placed the kunai at her neck. She was pleased to note that he was breathing extremely heavily.

"Hinata-chan, I haven't fought that hard in weeks! You are amazingly strong; I've never had to use that kind of controlling technique in battle before."

Naruto inhaled, then finished. "I have to ask, though: who drove you to become so strong?"

Hearing Naruto ask this and not wanting to reveal that it was him all along, Hinata blushed profusely. Naruto was puzzled at this reaction, and wondered why his heart was slowly breaking.

The awkward moment was interrupted by applause. Naruto smiled his typical foxy grin and helped a still-blushing Hinata up to greet the cheers of, "Amazing!" and "That was incredible!"

Naruto, however, was focused on two faces alone.

Sakura was staring at him, tears pouring down her cheeks as she beamed at him. He smiled back at her.

Lee, however…

Lee was positively trembling.

"Whattsa matter, Fuzzy-Brows? Are ya scared?" Naruto jested.

Lee met Naruto's gaze with a look of intense fire.

"Naruto, I see that the fire of youth burns strongly within you. Take a short break; I will fight you in one hour!" He finished, thumb pointed up prominently.

Naruto grinned. "I've been waiting for this for a long time, Lee." Lee nodded.

* * *

Naruto stood across from Lee in the training ground, having had a quick nap. Thanks to his assimilation of the Kyuubi, he was perfectly rested after his nap. 

Lee began by warning Naruto. "Naruto, as you know my strength comes from my rigorous training, and is also its downside. If I ever take more that one day's rest, my skills begin to deteriorate."

He smiled wildly. "Which is why that never happens. I still can't use genjutsu, or even ninjutsu, but I have finally learned why not."

Naruto's eyes widened. _He has a-_

"I have a kekkai genkai, Naruto-kun. One just as powerful as your "bloodlimit". You saw my chuunin match three years ago, yes?"

Naruto nodded dumbly.

"Well, when I used the gates then, it hurt. A lot. As you know, I almost had to give up my life until Hokage-sama," at this point he bowed in her direction. "Saved my nindo."

He smiled. "Naruto, put simply, my bloodline is a bit of a mutation. It allows me, through rigorous training and then a 24-hour period of meditation, to have the gates Open and Life opened permanently."

Lee waited as the implications hit Naruto. He grinned. "So your chakra…"

Lee nodded. "Allows me to use this chakra for taijutsu techniques, at the risk of being redundant."

He assumed his Gouken stance. "Are you ready, Naruto-kun!" he shouted.

"Lee-san, I'm only gonna use taijutsu; no fancy tails. But I'm warnin' ya, my demonic chakra might just beat your gates!" Naruto exclaimed, molding his demonic chakra.

Red eyes met bushy brows. As one, they disappeared.

They met in the center with a resounding explosion, then disappeared.

"This is gonna be good..." Shikamaru whispered.

* * *

R&R, My friends, and enjoy. 


	9. To Tie It Together

Hello, readers!

Ummmm… BEWARE! Really awesome chapter!

Just kidding. It's your average-everyday-ordinary chapter – with some serious cans of whoop$$ on the side!

Hope y'all enjoy it!

* * *

Hinata and Sakura slowly walked back to the training ground. They had went into town to grab a bite to eat because, frankly, they were starving. The others had followed suit, but they had all ended up at different restaurants.

Now, they trickled back to the training ground, sometimes having to duck as green-black blurs whizzed over their heads, accompanied by a sonic boom or two.

"Naruto-kun and Lee are amazing!" Hinata exclaimed as they crashed through the trees above their heads yet again. "I see now why Neji-nii-san was so adamant about me not fighting Lee; I'm good at taijutsu, and my techniques are as good as Neji's but they're so fast!"

Sakura could only nod dumbly as Hinata waxed eloquent about Naruto's ability. She half-listened, half-wondered just where she stood concerning the blonde's affections.

_I hope it's not too late…_ she wondered. _I hope I still have a chance…_

Sakura glanced sideways at Hinata, who had stopped, having reached the training area. Her mouth hung open, and Sakura's did the same when she realized what she was looking at.

The training area was more like the surface of the moon, now. Craters pockmarked the area, as if a Western war had taken place there. Shino, Shikamaru, and Ino had also just arrived, displaying similar reactions.

Tsunade was the last to return from her lunch break, and was followed by almost every ninja in the village who had seen her in the streets of Konoha and wanted to know just what the hell was going on!

She smiled as they laid eyes on the carnage and destruction. One of them spoke up, "But Hokage-sama, who is fighting?"

His answer came in the form of an earthquake as Naruto slammed into the ground, presumably having just been caught in Lee's secondary Lotus.

Lee landed nimbly a few meters away, albeit panting heavily. He assumed the Gouken stance as Naruto climbed out of the hole to stand firm facing Lee.

Lee threw back his head and laughed. "Naruto-san, I have never had more fun fighting anyone! Not many can take a lotus and come back for more, but you have taken four!"

Gasps accompanied Naruto's response. "Honestly Lee, the same goes for me! You r endurance is incredible! I was sure I snapped at least all of your bones with that one combo, but you just shrugged it off!" He was grinning wildly; both were panting heavily.

You would too, after a three-hour spar.

Naruto looked up and saw that the clouds were streaked with red and purple. Focusing on Lee, he said, "Lee, normally I'd say let's call it quits, because you shouldn't spar in the dark; someone could get hurt."

Lee nodded, but smiled when he saw Naruto prepare to charge. "But I can't give up now! Let us end this!"

Naruto blinked away, but this time when they met in the center, they did not instantly warp away at top speed. What proved to be their last skirmish lasted all of ten seconds, but to Kakashi's new Mangekyou Sharingan, it was as ten minutes.

He watched as Naruto's fist was deflected by Lee's backhand, which became a fist headed for Naruto's chin. He watched as Naruto's head fluidly moved to the side as he placed his hand on the ground to gain leverage for a massive kick.

He watched them move like water in a tempest, furious and powerful, yet with a calm deliberateness than chilled his bones. He briefly wondered that Naruto could probably defeat him, if he really tried.

Kakashi and the rest of the spectators watched as after ten seconds of blurry action, Lee flew backwards. He stopped his momentum with his feet, and then reversed direction as he shot back towards Naruto.

Naruto smiled as Lee came on. He remembered Jiraiya's words as he practiced his assassination techniques.

_Do not disregard simple moves. They work._

As Lee came, he feinted a block, then sidestepped swiftly, brining his arm straight out in Lee's path, charging it with demonic chakra.

Lee never saw it coming. Naruto's "clothesline" combined with his high speed sent him windmilling in midair until his head halted his motion by slamming into the ground. As Lee's body came to rest, Tsunade, Sakura, Hinata, and Maito Gai came out from the crowd.

Lee smiled up at his lifelong mentor. "Though I lost, Gai-sensei, how was I?"

Gai smiled. "You were marvelous, Lee! Once again, I am amazed at the fire of youth that burns within you!"

Naruto watched amused as Lee nodded, satisfied, and promptly lost consciousness. Naruto laughed. Somethings never changed.

Speaking of change…

Tsunade approached him. "That was amazing, brat. Let Sakura heal your wounds, then get your butt back to my office. We have a few things to discuss."

Naruto nodded, allowing Sakura's green healing chakra to take care of the many wounds he had received from Lee.

"Hey, Hinata."

Hinata looked up at Naruto, who now had acquired a puzzled look. It was quickly replaced by one of contentedness.

"Hinata, would you come with me to Obaa-chan's office? I want to talk to you about some things…" Naruto trailed off.

Hinata nodded smiling. "Of course, Naruto-kun. You were amazing, by the way!"

Naruto matched her grin. "Thanks, Hinata-chan. And thank _you_, Sakura-chan, for healing me! I feel great! Did Obaa-chan teach you this?"

Sakura grinned. "Naruto, you are the only one I know who gets away with calling Tsunade-shishou that. Yes, I was Tsunade-sama's apprentice for the past few years. I learned a bit more then just medicine, though!" She flexed a muscle experimentally, then slammed a fist into the tree next to them, obliterating it.

Naruto paled. _Note to self: don't piss off Sakura-chan ever ever again!_

"Well, I'd best be going! Bye, Sakura-chan!" Naruto exclaimed nervously, pulling Hinata with him edgily.

Sakura smiled sadly, and turned around to go home. As she walked, her sad smile became a look of pure determination.

_No! I won't lose you, Naruto! Not like I lost Sasuke! Not again!_

* * *

Hinata looked down as she walked beside Naruto, who had yet to talk about anything at all.

_Tell him, you baka! You've got to tell him now, or else he'll forget!_

But as she steeled herself, Naruto suddenly asked, "Hinata-chan, I don't mean to pry, I really don't, but… how are things going with the Hyuuga?"

Hinata almost collapsed. So that was what Naruto was concerned about! She remembered what Neji had told her from the Third Chuunin exam.

"_And he said, 'If you think it's so pointless, don't do anything! When I become Hokage, I'll change the Hyuuga for you!'" Neji finished, eyes staring at a bird which flew lazily about overhead._

Hinata smiled. "You really changed Neji, Naruto-kun. After his defeat, my father went to him. My father told Neji the secret of his father's death, and it changed both of them. From that day forward, my father became much more pleasant and happy; I hadn't seen him smile since my mother's death so long ago, but now he smiles all the time! And I have you to thank, Naruto-kun," Hinata finished. "Father even changed the seal on the branch family! It only seals away the Byakugan; it can't be used to hurt them anymore!"

Naruto was smiling widely at this point. "Arigato, Hinata-chan, I'm just glad I could help."

He paused. "You said your mother died; what happened? If you… if you don't-"

Hinata smiled. "No, I don't mind Naruto-kun. After all, you shared a great secret with me; the least I can do is tell you about my mother."

Naruto smiled.

"She was a beautiful woman with long, blue hair and shining eyes filled with kindness. She was not a ninja, but she was one of the best doctors the hospital had. Everyone loved her, especially my father. They met after my father was injured on a particularly dangerous mission. My mother was tending his wounds, and when he woke up, he said he thought an angel was tending his wounds."

Hinata giggled. "My father told me that when he told my mother that later, she blushed so hard she almost fainted! I guess that's where I get it from…" Hinata finished thoughtfully.

Naruto's eyes widened; he had never heard Hinata admit her shyness before. Maybe it wasn't a problem anymore…

Hinata continued eyes moist. "My mother and father married soon after. They were extremely happy, but after Hanabi-nee-chan's birth, she became very ill. It turned out that she picked up a disease from one of the hospital patients, who had died a few days earlier. There was nothing the doctors could do, and my mother…"

Hinata never finished. She burst into tears and buried her face in her hands, sobbing. She felt her legs give away, and….

And remained upright.

Hinata became aware of two very strong and firm arms encircling her, keeping her upright, lending her strength. She opened her eyes slightly to see soft black cloth. She looked up, and met blue eyes which shined with compassion and tears of their own.

"It hurts, doesn't it?" Naruto whispered. "The pain of loneliness hurts so much…"

He wiped away his tears, then brought a hand down to cup her cheek. "But I'm here for you, Hinata-chan," he said as he wiped away her tears with his thumb. "You can always count on me; I won't abandon you! I promise! I promise by my nindo!"

Hinata giggled; he was so… so _Naruto_. "And your nindo is to never go back on your word, neh? That's my nindo too."

Naruto's eyes widened. "It…it is?"

Hinata nodded smiling. "Arigato, Naruto-kun. I feel better than ever before, as if a great weight had been lifted off my chest." She pulled away reluctantly. "I know Tsunade wants to see you and give you a mission, but tomorrow, will you meet me at Ichiraku's at three? There's something _I_ want to talk to _you_ about!"

Naruto smiled. "Of course, Hinata-chan! See you tomorrow!"

* * *

He watched as she leapt away. He began to run towards the Hokage's office, blushing.

_Man, I suck! That was so lame! I hope Hinata-chan doesn't think I'm a loser or anything…_

He realized that his legs had taken him to Tsunade's office. He began to knock, reconsidered, and simply opened the door as if he owned the place.

Tsunade smiled. "Get to bed brat. I want you to at the Forest of Death Training Ground at 8 o'clock sharp!"

Naruto gulped. "What for?"

Tsunade smiled evilly. "Survival test."

"Surviving what?"

Naruto wondered how such a kind woman could look so evil. He realized why with her next words:

"Surviving me."

Naruto paled.

"I'd get some rest, if I were you brat. You'll need it."

As Naruto headed out stiffly, she couldn't resist calling out, "Oh, and don't eat any breakfast unless you want to puke all day! You can make up for it later when you meet Hinata-_chan­_ at Ichiraku's!"

She laughed as she heard Naruto fall down the stairs in shock, cursing.

She leaned back in her chair, sake in hand.

_I can't wait for 8 tomorrow…_

* * *

Heh heh heh...

R&R ya'll! Comments make the chapters fly!


	10. Raging Battle, Evil Women

Hey everybody!

Heheheheheh… let the triangle commence!

Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 9 – Attack of the Hormones!

_Whoosh._

_Whoosh._

_Whoosh._

Naruto flew from tree to tree calmly, trying to quiet the inner storm raging within him.

_I need to focus, dammit!_ He thought angrily. _Women and their wiles… I give up trying to understand them!_

He stopped his hopping and decided to confront the issue then and there, instead of trying to fight it off.

_He arrived at the entrance to the Forest of Death to find Tsunade waiting for him. She tossed him a survival pack._

"_Here," she said, throwing the backpack to him. "This is a very important test for you, Naruto. Pay attention!"_

_Naruto grinned as he threw a snappy salute, then waved. He shouldered the back as Tsunade began to explain his little "survival test."_

"_You will survive in the forest alone for three days and three nights. IF you survive, report back to this entrance; a three-ninja team consisting of Sakura, Hinata, and Lee will be waiting for you. You will then lead this team into the forest and survive for one more day and night. On the fifth day, I will enter the forest and hunt you down. If you survive, whether through confrontation or hiding…"_

_Tsunade grinned. "You will be promoted to Jounin."_

_Naruto's jaw dropped. He asked, "But isn't there some sort of exam for becoming a jounin, just like the chuunin exams?"_

_Tsunade waggled her finger. "Naruto, I'm surprised that perverted sensei of yours didn't teach you this! The chuunin exams are so public because chuunin perform more missions and of a greater variety than any other rank of ninja. Jounin, on the other hand, are a hidden village's pride. We can't make their skills public, so the Kage of a village will set their own exam for jounin. For example, all of your friends except Lee, Hinata, and Sakura are all jounin now. I held them back so that they could take this exam with you."_

_Naruto sat back on his heels, pensive. He snapped his fingers and said, "If that's the case, why are YOU administering the exam? Couldn't you get Neji or Kakashi or some other jounin to do it?"_

_Tsunade smiled. "Of course; this test also has another purpose, one more important than the jounin aspect. Once again, you'll find out… if you survive!"_

_She stepped aside and motioned Naruto into the forest. Curious, he began to walk in but was stopped by Sakura._

When did she get here? _He had wondered. She had smiled at him, then hugged him firmly._

"_You better come out of this alive, Naruto!" she had said._

"_Don't worry about it, Sakura-chan!" He exclaimed. "Besides, after three days, I'll have you to look after me!"_

_She punched his arm. "Baka. Now get going!" she said, smiling._

_Naruto had leapt into the forest without further delay._

Now, he had realized that in a few minutes he would arrive once again at the entrance to the Forest of Death to rendezvous with his team. He had realized that that team would include Sakura and Hinata.

"I wonder how their teamwork is?" He mused aloud. "Here I am , in the middle of the forest, about to be given a team of jounin-level ninja, and I don't have any idea how well we all work together!"

He entertained the idea of staging a bell test in the middle of the forest, then laughed out loud at the idea of three Academy graduates attempting to take two bells from him while surviving the Forest.

"Hey… that's not a bad idea!" He shouted.

"**_Heheheh…"_** Kyuubi chuckled. **_"More like me every day..."_**

Naruto ignored the demon lord's comment and finished his trek to his entrance gate. There waiting for him were Sakura, Hinata, and Lee. He landed in front of them, and wordlessly motioned for them to follow. He watched relieved as they fell into a diamond formation with him as he leapt away.

He led them back to the cave he had made in the base of a tree's roots. They filed in, and Naruto sat down, back against the trunk of the massive tree.

"Welcome to my humble abode! C'mon in, pull up a chair!" Naruto said sarcastically.

Lee laughed, while Sakura glared at the blonde troublemaker. "Naruto, please. We have to get through the day and night together alive, so let's try and be a little more civil, eh?"

Hinata stared at Sakura. _How dare she? He was just making a joke!_ She fumed silently.

Naruto laughed. "Ah, stuff it Sakura-chan. Sit down; I want to discuss how we're gonna take down Tsunade-baa-chan!"

Hinata and Sakura gasped, but Lee laughed yet again. "Ah Naruto, only you would have the sheer guts to say that about our esteemed Hokage!"

Naruto laughed as well. "I've fought her, won this necklace from her," he pulled out the glittering jade pendant, "and also gotten two butt-whuppin's in the process. Now I'm ready to return the favor, but we won't be able to do that without teamwork."

Sakura stared at her old teammate. _This is Naruto? But… but he's so smart! And mature! And hot…_

She shook off her last thought and refocused. "That's a good idea Naruto," Hinata chimed in, "but what should we do?"

Naruto grinned. "We're going to force her into a battle in an area I scouted out on my second day here. Its about half a kilometer from this cave; you guys wanna hear my plan?"

They nodded, so he continued. "Lee, you will be waiting at the camp when Tsunade finds it; if you remember, I didn't have any of you cover our trail as we went to my cave. Baa-chan _will_ find it, and when she does Lee, you will engage her briefly. She's our Hokage for a reason, Lee." Naruto warned. "So don't try anything major, or she'll wipe you out. I don't think even I could take her one-on-one."

Lee went pale, but Naruto reassured him. "You're only task at that point is to lead her to site that we'll go to together today. Once you do, you'll engage her in battle. At that point, Hinata-chan will join you. She has some interesting mid-range techniques, and will complement your fighting style well."

Hinata beamed as Naruto smiled at her. "Sakura-chan and I will be in the trees surrounding the battlefield. When you all feel my chakra flare, jump away from Tsunade! Sakura will then begin throwing as many explosive tagged kunai as she can, in a random pattern. I'll use a technique of mine that prevents damage – sort of like chakra armor – and attack. When Sakura runs out, Lee come back into the fight and engage baa-chan with me! Lee, I'm gonna teach you a really awesome taijutsu technique that only we can use together!"

Lee flashed a shiny grin. "Excellent, Naruto-kun!"

Naruto grinned, and Hinata swore she saw a glint of red. "At this point, Hinata, you make as many water clones as you can while keeping enough chakra in reserve to join the fight with them! Sakura will be waiting in the trees when Hinata comes in; Sakura, I need you to ambush the old hag when she tries to escape."

Naruto sat back and waited for the others to add better stuff to the plan, but Hinata simply said, "Naruto-kun, that's… that plan is a amazing!"

Naruto blushed. "Really? I didn't think it was all that great…"

"Nonsense!" shouted Lee "Truly Naruto has become strong!"

Sakura could only smile helplessly.

Naruto spent the rest of the day showing them where the battle would take place, a circular clearing with trees enclosing the area. After that, they broke down the camp, making it look like someone had just left. They then settled down to sleep; and to wait.

* * *

Tsunade leapt from tree to tree, headed for the smoke that presumably wafted upwards from a campfire. She felt a twinge of excitement run through her.

_I haven't been this excited about a fight since Naruto got me to beat up Orochimaru-teme!_ She thought amusedly. She landed in the middle of the camp.

She ducked just in time as Lee flew over her head in a flying kick. He skidded to a stop in front of the Gondaime, grinning.

"I have heard all the stories of your legendary strength, Hokage-sama."

Lee's grin became a smirk. "I believe none of them."

Tsunade's amused expression vanished in a millisecond. She growled and dashed for Lee, who settled into the Gouken stance.

Her first punch slammed into Lee's guard with a sickening crunch, causing Lee to wince and back off.

_Kami-sama, the woman hits hard! No wonder Naruto-kun was adamant about not confronting her alone!_

Lee began to dodge the Legendary Sucker's blows, then after causing her to jump away with a quick flurry of kicks, he leapt into the trees. He watched relieved as Tsunade followed him up to continue the skirmish. That was the trickiest part of their mission, Naruto had warned, getting Tsunade to follow Lee.

Lee jumped down to the clearing, alarmed that Tsunade had forced him back that far already. He landed gracefully and assumed the gouken stance as Tsunade charged in, right hand trailing behind her.

She never saw Hinata drop from the branches above. With one swipe of her chakra beams she knocked Tsunade's chakra-charged hand out of its path towards Lee, who smiled as he spun, delivering a vicious kick to the esteemed Hokage's head.

She took it without flinching, turning the blow into an opportunity to cartwheel away. She came out of the flip spinning, and molded chakra to her feet. She launched herself at Lee and Hinata, who barely escaped the spinning kick Tsunade delivered. Tsunade spun on her toe and dropped her heel onto Hinata's arm. Hinata yelped as she was nicked by the blow, slightly fracturing the arm.

As the fight continued, Sakura watched in alarm as Hinata began to falter, and nudged Naruto.

But he was already standing, flaring his chakra to its fullest extend. Without even looking, Hinata jumped out of the clearing and headed for Sakura to be healed, while Lee simply vanished in a burst of speed.

Tsunade had 2 seconds before the first explosion went off. She spend the first realizing what was about to happen, and the second planning what to do about it. Then the exploding paper bombs began to crash around her, and she decided that to hell with planning and to just come out of this alive.

_What the hell! _She thought as she dodged the explosions. _I guess they think I'll be okay because I'm the Hokage; well, explosions hurt, dammit!_

Her thoughts were cut short as she caught sight of a red blob hurtling towards her. She cursed as she realized Naruto was making his entrance; she should've expected it after that massive chakra flare. She dodged to the side as a chakra-claw hurtled past her to crash into a tree, splintering it, but had to immediately return to being directly in front of Naruto due to a well-placed exploding kunai by Sakura.

Despite the situation she felt a twinge of pride.

Then she felt a twinge of pain as Naruto appeared behind her, punching her shoulder. She spun away but managed to block the next few blows. Naruto growled as one of her counterattacks collided with his face, and began to grow his chakra tails.

As if on cue, Lee fell instead of a kunai. Tsunade watched as Lee and Naruto linked arms, than started as Naruto's demonic chakra melded with Lee. On Lee's free hand a tail engulfed his arm, extending out about four feet into a giant blade-like appendage. The same thing happened to Naruto's arm.

"**_Demonic Taijutsu: Dance of the Lotus!"_** They yelled in unison.

They began to spin around in a circle, simultaneously running towards Tsunade, who could only marvel at the control they needed to perform such a move. And the teamwork!

Then she paled as the blades they each wielded began scything towards her. She prepared to block, but almost stumbled when they separated, each one now having two chakra blades. As one, they attacked, and Tsunade began to dodge and block the deadly swords.

Naruto had hoped they wouldn't need Hinata's water clones at this point, but realized after a few minutes that, despite the power and skill Lee and he were using, it wasn't enough to get past the Hokage's guard. Despite the fact that they had landed numerous blows, Tsunade had not only healed them but returned almost all of them, and not without repercussions.

Naruto smiled as he felt the sudden presence of… _Wow, Hinata-chan! That's a ton of clones!_ He thought, amazed at Hinata's stamina.

Tsunade realized that perhaps it was time to regroup when the clones dropped down and attacked. Though significantly weaker than shadow clones, they could still use Jyuuken, which was a pain in the ass to heal. Tsunade leapt up to a tree.

And forgot about Sakura, who hurtled out of the foliage to deliver her own ridiculously powerful punch to Tsunade. Tsunade threw up a guard, but smiled helplessly as the force from the blow sent her back down towards the clone army, of which she had only managed to diminish a few.

The clones surrounded her with Lee, and Naruto walked into the circle they formed and smiled at Tsunade.

"Well, baa-chan, do you surrender? Don't try a replacement jutsu, by the way, unless you want to land in a mass of forest leeches! I got rid of all possible replacement objects beforehand and gather up the leeches the night before!"

Tsunade began to laugh. She couldn't help it; she laughed long and hard, while Naruto stared at her amused. When Tsunade finally calmed down, she realized that Naruto had silently created three shadow clones, all of which now held kunai at her throat.

Her eyes widened.

"Baa-chan, please surrender," Naruto urged, still smiling.

Tsunade helplessly nodded. "Okay brat, you and your team pass. Now let's get out of here; I never liked this place."

Naruto's smile almost blinded them all.

"So, baa-chan, what's our first mission!"

Tsunade glared at the blonde, still a little peeved at how flawless his plan was.

"Quiet brat. I want all of you to head to my office ASAP! Except you, brat. I want a word with you."

Naruto nodded, then turned to congratulate his teammates.

"You guys were amazing! We did a great job out there; I hope Baa-chan keeps us together! She wants us all to go to her office now though, so I'll see you there in a sec!"

He stopped Hinata. "Sorry we didn't get to go to Ichiraku together, Hinata-chan!"

She laughed. "It's okay, Naruto-kun; you were a little busy! How about we go after Tsunade-sama meets with us?"

Sakura, who had been listened, piped in, "Yeah, why don't the three of us go? Lee's got to meet Gai somewhere, so why not all three of us?"

Naruto paled as Hinata glared at Sakura with more killer intent than he thought was possible from the pearl-eyed girl.

"Uhhh… I gotta talk to Tsunade! We'll talk about it later! Run along now; bye-bye!" Naruto panicked as he ushered the two new kunoichi jounin away, still giving each other death glares. He turned away and ran back to Tsunade, who looked on smirking.

"Well, hormone-boy, now that that's over with, I have confidential news for you."

Naruto stopped all motion. Tsunade nodded in approval and went on. "That test was, as I said, more than just a jounin exam. It was a test to see if you were ready to kill, and you passed."

She breathed in. "I have your team's first mission for you, but I have no doubt that you will be the deciding factor in this assignment."

"Sasuke has been spotted entering the Fire Country. Your mission is to find him before he reaches Konoha and bring me his body, dead or alive. I only say alive because if it's possible I want to examine the cursed seal, and then hand him over to Morino Ibiki for interrogation."

Naruto was staring at the ground when Tsunade finished, but when he looked up his eyes gleamed with anticipation.

"Well," he said. "Let's head back to my future office, neh? We gotta break the news."

* * *

Heheheheheh... Goodbye, Sasuke!

Or not? R&R, but be warned! I won't be able to update for awhile, so... sorry! Please be vigilant!


	11. Remember the Past

Hello all! Sorry this update has taken so long, but I got all four of my wisdom teeth yanked; that kinda put me outta commission for a few days.

Hope you all enjoyed your Christmas breaks, because here's more story! At last!

* * *

Chapter 10 – Remember the Past 

Naruto walked along the main street of Konoha, completely and utterly bewildered and with no idea of where he was going.

After he and Tsunade had briefed Hinata and Sakura, and after a few more not-so-discreet glares from the kunoichi, Tsunade had whipped out from seemingly nowhere Naruto's ornate box. He had yelped having completely forgotten it in the chaos that had followed. Tsunade then handed him a set of keys on a single ring.

Naruto had stared at the keys, dumbfounded.

"You got keys made for my apartment? Thanks, Baa-chan!"

Tsunade glared. "No, Naruto, these are the keys to your new house, left to you by… by the Hokage."

Naruto frowned. "But Baa-chan, why? And which Ho-"

Tsunade had lost her temper at this point and thrown Naruto from her open office window. When he landed, a crumpled piece of paper hit him on the head. Upon opening it, he saw that it was directions to his house.

And now, he was on the last leg of the journey. He began to feel uneasy and downright terrified; his path was taking him past the Hyuuga clan house, along with every other wealthy and influential Konoha citizen, some of whom were council members, all of whom had treated him like trash in the beginning.

Naruto shook his head clear of those thoughts. _If any of them try anything now, I'm more than ready for them!_

Naruto looked back down to his paper, then realized that he had arrived.

He looked at the house, then back at the address on the paper, then back at the house.

"That's no house…" Naruto mumbled. "That's a mansion…"

Indeed, Naruto now stood in front of what seemed to be the largest building intended for living in Konoha. The "house" stood three stories high, with a bright red-shingled roof and tall windows. Naruto mumbled to himself as he walked up to the front door. Why was everything in life an adventure for him? Why did it always have to be flying from one fight to the next?

When Naruto reached the door he began to try the keys in the lock unsuccessfully until finally one of them turned the tumblers and opened the door.

He walked inside and was greeted first by boxes of his possessions – spare clothes, spare weapons, and a few others which he was pretty sure contained the necessities of life.

He then looked up from the pile of crates to notice that the house was immaculately clean. _Baa-chan probably paid a maid to do it or something_, Naruto thought tiredly. He walked to the stairs and found the master bedroom, curiously placed on the second floor directly in the middle of the house. He sat down heavily, and placed the box on his lap.

He picked out the smallest key from the ring, and surprisingly it fit into the box's keyhole. He turned the lock and opened the lid.

Sitting on top of a pile of unidentifiable stuff was a letter face-down. Naruto picked it up and turned it over.

It said: "To Uzumaki Naruto, From the Yondaime Hokage of Konoha."

And with trembling hands, Naruto opened the letter, pulling out a piece of paper. He opened it up and began to read.

_

* * *

Naruto, _

_If you are reading this, then you have reached the age of sixteen and are now an adult and jounin of Konoha. I am the Yondaime, but I no longer wish for you to think of me by that title._

_Call me father. My name is Uzumaki Arashi, Hokage of Konoha, and I am so sorry._

_I write this letter to you, my son, because I know that my time is running out. The demon lord known as the Kyuubi is headed for Konoha, and I know that it is my duty to stop this demon from destroying anymore lives. I'm sorry, son. I know this will be a lot to handle for you, having never known your parents all your life. I know that despite how much of a hero you truly are, those who recognize that in you will be few. I'm sorry for thrusting this burden on you Naruto, but it is the only way. You are the perfect candidate, being of the Uzumaki bloodline, and I am loathe to ask another ninja to sacrifice his child, just so that my own would not have to carry a demon lord in their tummy, heh-heh._

_I will tell you what you are now ready to hear, Naruto. Hopefully by the end of this letter you will understand. In my wildest dreams, I hope you can think of me as a father in the end._

_I was the heir of the Uzumaki bloodline, the sole heir. I was an orphan at birth, but even though I was born from the only clan more powerful than the Uchiha and the Hyuuga, I was not regarded well in the village. I vowed that I would gain their respect, and that I would become the Hokage of Konoha! I sought training from one of the most powerful ninja in the world, Jiraiya of the Legendary Sannin. I know him now as Ero-sennin; if you've ever met him, you do to!_

_Eventually I gained the respect of the village, and soon the attention of the Sandaime was on me. The old man (well, he's old now!) asked me if I would die for my village. I immediately answered yes, because I loved Konoha more than anything else in my life. The old man grinned and said, "Well my boy, how would you like to be the Hokage?" I laughed, but when I stopped he was waiting expectantly, as if for an answer. I nodded my head, and from then on I was the Yondaime Hokage of Konoha._

_Before I could be anointed though, we had to fight a war with the Hidden Rock. That war was horrible, lasting several years and costing us many ninja, all of them good men and women. We did win the war though, and afterwards I became the Hokage when old man Sarutobi retired._

_After the ceremony and approval of the council, I began my job. Son, if you ever want to be Hokage, BE WARNED: the paperwork SUCKS! Regardless, I loved the job. I loved being connected to every person in the village, I loved defending the village._

_I met your mother when I was shopping in the village for food. I had left my Hokage robes in my house, so I was dressed no differently from any other civilian, something I enjoyed doing. I was getting some fruit when I bumped into a young woman about my age. I helped her pick up what she was carrying, which turned out to be a basket of ramen noodles. When I met eyes with her, I was dumbstruck. You mother, Naruto, was possibly the most beautiful woman in the entire village, with long red hair and shining eyes. I immediately inquired where she was going, and she laughed and shoved past me. As she left she shouted behind her, "Ichiraku's!"_

_I followed her, fruit forgotten, to Ichiraku's, a ramen stand. I sat down at the counter and ordered miso. I was served by the red-haired woman herself, who introduced herself as Kimari of the Yamaru clan._

_Your mother was incredible. Fiery and calm, funny yet serious, and stubborn as hell. We got to talking, and I asked her to dinner. One year later, we were married._

_Naruto, if you ever meet someone whom to you is important in the deepest core of your heart, never let them go. You will be happier than you could ever imagine if you follow your heart._

_Our marriage was the best choice I ever made. If I had to choose between Hokage and father, I would gladly choose father._

_Now, as I write this and put together this inheritance for you, it is a year after I married Kimari. You were born just yesterday, just before we received word from the Grass village that the Kyuubi was coming. Kimari, a powerful kunoichi in her own right, has agreed that this is for the best. When the Kyuubi attacks, I will confront it atop the boss of the toads, Gamabunta. Kimari will be on the ground. I will perform the Shiki-fuuin sealing technique, and then Kimari will use a seal she just invented to force the Kyuubi's spirit into you, Naruto. Kimari will then use another invented technique to take the place of the Kyuubi's soul inside the demon's body, completing the requirements the God of Death laid down when the technique was created._

_Now, there are some interesting things in this box, so be careful!_

_Inside the box you now hold are three scrolls, one three-pronged kunai, and to locks of hair. The hair is from your mother and I, so that you may have proof of my tale. The three-pronged kunai is an artifact from the war with the rock. It is now obsolete, but I thought you might like to have it. It used to be the essential part of my famous technique, the **Hiraishin no-jutsu (Flying Thunder God)**. This technique earned me the nickname, "The Yellow Flash"!_

_The three scrolls each contain my instructions on how to perform my three most powerful techniques. I'm sure you will master them in no time. Remember: they are only to be used when defending Konoha!_

_And now, my son, my little Naruto, I must say goodbye. Your mother says, "I love you, my son. I know you will be strong; know that I am watching over you."_

_I love you, Naruto. Be strong for Konoha; your mother and I are watching out for you._

_Uzumaki Arashi_

_Uzumaki Kimari_

* * *

Naruto stared at the letter, rereading it slowly. 

"Dad…" he said aloud.

He moved the letter and box aside as tears began to fall.

Naruto smiled as he looked at the letter, his only connection to his parents.

"Thanks… Dad. I understand. And... I love you too."

He reached over to grab the box when a knock sounded at the door.

Wiping tears from his face, he jogged down the stairs and opened the door, yelping.

"Ah! Hi, Hinata-chan, what's… what's up?"

Hinata stood in front of the doorway looking down at her twiddling fingers.. "Tsunade-sama wishes me to tell you that… that the mission is cancelled and that Sasuke has left the country. We are to have the rest of the week to rest. Good… good night Naruto-kun."

As she turned to leave, Naruto became aware of a curious clenching in his heart. He tried to breathe, but found he couldn't. He painfully forced down a swallow, and said, "Hinata-chan, do you... want to come in? I'd hate to think you came all the way here just for the sake of a few seconds."

Hinata froze, then turned around. Naruto's heart skipped as he caught sight of Hinata's smile: It wasn't very wide, but it was so filled with genuine happiness that it blew Naruto away.

"Thank you Naruto-kun. I would like that very much."

Naruto grinned. "Hey yeah, you can see my dad's box too! The one that Tsunade gave me! I'll meet you in the kitchen! C'mon in!"

Hinata giggled as Naruto raced upstairs like a six-year-old with his first real kunai. She walked into the kitchen, staring in awe at the sheer quality and craftsmanship of the house.

She turned back to the stairs as Naruto came down, bearing the ornate gold box from before. He set it on the table, opening it and handing a letter to Hinata.

"Here Hinata-chan. I'd… I'd like you to read this."

Hinata nodded, and read the letter. Naruto watched as her pearly eyes widened, and then began to moisten as she put down the letter.

"Naruto-kun," She choked. "I'm so sorry-"

"NO! Hinata-chan, don't be sorry! I'm not, I'm really happy! Now I finally have the last piece of the puzzle of who I am! I know who my parents are now; it's okay, really."

Hinata smiled and wiped away her tears. "Thank you for sharing that with me Naruto-kun."

Naruto smiled. "Hey, you spilled your past to me first; I just thought… y'know…"

Hinata giggled. "I do know Naruto. Thank you. I need to get going though, or Neji will get worried. Are we still on for tomorrow?"

Naruto gave the thumbs up. "Of course, Hinata-chan! I can't wait!" _I just hope I don't make an ass of myself… wait, why would that matter? It's just Hinata-chan… right?_

Hinata smiled, then turned to leave. "Oh, Naruto! Here!"

Naurto frowned as she handed him an envelope, also addressed to him from his father.

"This was in the other envelope. Good night, Naruto-kun!"

"Good night, Hinata-chan!" he shouted as she disappeared into the night. Naruto turned his attention to this new letter, and hastily opened it, wondering what it could possibly contain. He began to read as he ascended to his new bedroom.

As he read, his cerulean orbs widened, until he staggered onto the bed and sat down heavily. He looked out the window.

"Sasuke… what you seek… what you did… it was all for nothing."

* * *

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! I have returned! 

For you Sakura fans, her stuff is comin' next chapter! Fear not!

I hate going to the dentist, but I guess it's worth it in the end. More chapters to come! R&R!


	12. Attack of the Hormones

Before you read, pause for a minute and consider this:

Isn't it just great to be alive? Here you are reading a story. You are either spending leisure time, procrastinating from homework, or whatever. The point is, that even though life may suck at times and you wish it would just hurry up and move on, it's times like this that i really think how happy life really is. The world is falling apart at the seams, but we have time to enjoy the cool things in life. I woke up today happier than I've been in a long time; one of my readers knows why! Heheheheh...

Stupid site and their stupid alerts; I just read three stories that had been updated over Christmas, but I never found out about! And all your wonderful reviews weren't sent to me! (Don't worry, I read them all! Your corrections were most appreciated!)

Woohoo! 200 reviews, 30000 hits, and 20000 words! More, I say! More!

* * *

Chapter 11 – Attack of the Hormones 

Naruto stared at the piece of paper he had just read, heart pounding from the shock of discovery, the kind of shock that only comes when a major outtake on life has just been shattered.

Naruto stared at the paper, willing it to be wrong.

_

* * *

What follows is a report filed by Sarutobi, Sandaime Hokage of Konoha, and Uchiha Itachi, Captain of Anbu, concerning the massacre of two major clan houses of Konoha: the Uzumaki and the Uchiha clans. _

_This report's goal is not to republish the details of the death of the Uzumaki clan, as they were all murdered by the Kyuubi, down to the last child. That report can be found under its own title in the Archives. However, it is important to keep the fact that the Uzumakis were murdered in mind as one reads this report._

_Konoha has always had three noble clans: Hyuuga, Uchiha, and Uzumaki. Of the three, the Uzumaki were clearly the most powerful based on comparative strength of ninja and kekkai genkai._

_When the Kyuubi attacked, the commander in charge of our forces while the Yondaime was preparing his Seal, a Hyuuga, placed the Uzumaki ninja on the front line, stating that they, as the most powerful ninja in Konoha, had the best chance of stopping the Kyuubi. The Uzumakis suspected no treachery, and agreed to the assessment. They were slaughtered by the Kyuubi, just as the nameless Hyuuga expected; however, several of the wounded Uzumaki escaped the battlefield. The Hyuuga commander, with two of his associates, tracked them down and killed them._

_This information was released by Uchiha Itachi, who witnessed his best friend partake in the event. His news was most troubling, as he stated that with his sharingan he spotted two familiar chakra signatures, the most important being his friend's, a fellow Uchiha. This lead Itachi to believe that there was an understanding between the Uchiha and the Hyuuga concerning the Uzumaki, despite the long-term hostility between the Uchiha and the Hyuuga. It was also rumored that the alliance would continue, due to the uncertainty of the extinction of the entire Uzumaki clan._

_A few years after the death of the Yondaime, Itachi went to his father, the head of the Uchiha clan, and demanded to be let in on the conspiracy. His father, suspecting that Itachi wanted to help, gladly acquiesced. Itachi then went to the Sandaime Hokage, now acting Hokage, with what he had learned. The Sandaime ordered the immediate assassinations of those who murdered the Uzumakis, and it was carried out by Itachi himself._

_The Sandaime then asked Itachi how deep the conspiracy ran in the Uchiha clan; Itachi reported that the only one who remained innocent was his younger brother, Uchiha Sasuke. The Sandaime then ordered the immediate arrest of the entire Uchiha clan ninja. Itachi asked that he be the one to preempt the anbu to the mission, and the Sandaime agreed._

_When Itachi arrived, he was attacked by friends of the Uchiha he had already killed – his best friend and fellow anbu member. Itachi defended against their attacks, killing them. This gathered the attention of the rest of the clan, who all attacked Itachi. He tried to dissuade them, not wanting to spill anymore Uchiha blood, but was unsuccessful. He neutralized every last Uchiha. Missing among the dead were Itachi's own parents, amond others._

_He was stopped, however, by Hyuuga Kasari, who had been stationed at the Uchiha house just in case the Hokage tried anything. He seized the opportunity to ambush Itachi, incapacitating him. Itachi reports that Kasari then transformed into Itachi and proceeded to massacre all remaining Uchiha, including the inactive ninja and those who never became ninja. The Hyuuga had planned this the entire time, and had acted on the opportunity Itachi's attempted arrest presented them; they double-crossed the Uchiha, slaying them all._

_Itachi reports that as soon as he was able he sought out his parents, only to find them dead from ninja-to wounds. He immediately ran outside to see his brother confronting the transformed Hyuuga. Not wanting to bring further pain and confusion on his brother, Itachi abandoned the mission and returned to the Sandaime._

_The Sandaime was forced by Itachi to label him as a missing-nin, whereupon Itachi left Konoha, and has not returned to this day._

_This information is not to be released until Uchiha Sasuke's coming of age, and should be shown to him before any other._

_Sarutobi, Sandaime Hokage_

_Uchiha Itachi_

* * *

Naruto fought down the urge to hunt down Sasuke and beat the sense into him, resolving instead to finally catch up on his sleep. 

"But dammit!" he yelled as he lay awake. "It's just too damn confusing!"

Plagued by uncertainty, Naruto succumbed to unconsciousness.

* * *

Hinata and Sakura stood outside Ichiraku's ramen stand, waiting for Naruto to show up. He wasn't late, not at all; rather, the two kunoichi had tried to beat the other there, only to arrive at the same time. 

Hinata stared at Sakura, and decided the issue had to be resolved before Naruto-kun came.

"Sakura-san, why are you so interested in Naruto-kun all of a sudden?" Hinata blurted out. "From… from what I saw a few years ago, you didn't really think much of him."

Sakura sighed. "Y'know Hinata, you're right. I thought he was an idiot and a loser. I had no idea he had ever suffered so much. I didn't know anything about him at all."

Sakura caught Hinata's frown. "And yes, I know I never gave him or myself a chance otherwise, really. But that's why I'm here; because I _do _know Naruto, having been on his team, and I know he's more forgiving, caring, generous, and kind-hearted than anyone I know. I've already begged for a second chance for myself, but I still need to give him his first."

Hinata sighed. "So there's nothing I can say that will make you stop chasing him?"

Sakura laughed. "C'mon, Hinata, I can't just let him go without a fight! Besides…" she said wistfully. "He is _so_ hot now that he's grown up a bit."

Hinata giggled despite herself, and gave in, laughing helplessly. "Fine then, Sakura, but know this: my nindo! I never give up, and I never take back my word! And I _will_ get Naruto-kun! I've watched yet done nothing for too long, now," Hinata finished, staring down. When she looked up, her eyes were shining with determination. "I know more about Naruto-kun than anyone! I won't lose!"

Sakura glared at Hinata, then laughed. "Oh well. I'd hate to lose a friend over a guy. Still friends?"

Hinata nodded, and took Sakura's proferred hand.

In other worlds, it was rumored that having a good firm handshake was a sign of one's confidence and strength. Men would often take this idea to the extreme, turning handshakes into hand-crushing contests, neither one willing to let go.

When Naruto arrived at Ichiraku's, still mildly shocked over the revelations he experienced the previous night, he was greeted to the strangest sight.

Hinata and Sakura were locked in a titanic struggle which had escalated into a mildly hazardous situation. Sakura seemed to be using her inhuman strength, while Naruto swore he sensed Hinata pushing chakra into Sakura's hands. Sweat dripped down their faces as they tried to crush, no, _obliterate_ the other's hand.

"Ummmm… I can come back later if you want?" Naruto offered tentatively. However, as each girl realized Naruto had arrived, they leapt apart, smiling widely at the blonde shinobi.

"Good morning, Naruto-kun!" they said in unison.

They glared at each other for a moment, then Sakura reached out and grabbed Naruto's hand and pulled him into the ramen stand, followed closely by a steaming Hinata.

Naruto, oblivious, happily seated himself at the counter and yelled out, "Hey old man! Gimme thirty bowls of miso ramen!"

The grizzled ramen chef laughed. "Coming right up, Arashi-sa-"

He stopped in midsentence, then bowed his head. Ayame, his daughter, patted him on the shoulder.

"I know," she mumbled. "It sounded like him too. I don't think anyone heard, so I don't think the Hokage has to know about it this time."

Naruto laughed helplessly. "It's alright, old man. She essentially told me everything."

Naruto grinned. "I'm still waiting for my ramen! I want thirty bowls of miso!"

The chef turned around and grinned. "You got it, brat. And what would the misses like?"

Hinata laughed. "I'll have what Naruto-kun's having."

Sakura smiled. "Ditto."

The chef laughed. "Ah Naruto, you're growing up fast! One woman ain't enough for you, is it?"

Naruto blushed ferevently. "NO! We're… we're just having lunch, that's all! Just make the ramen!"

The chef laughed at Naruto's protests. Then Sakura remembered something.

"Naruto, why did he think you were the Yondaime?"

Naruto grinned. "Because I'm his son, of course!"

Sakura sat back, shocked. "You found out who your parents were? And your father was a _Hokage?_"

Naruto simply smiled as the ramen was served. Before breaking apart his chopsticks, he reached into a pocket and handed Sakura a letter. "Read it for yourself; I, meanwhile, will eat. Itadakimatsu!"

He began to shovel ramen in, motioning for Hinata to do the same. She did, albeit with a little more dignity. Sakura's ramen remained untouched as she read the letter.

She finished and looked up, eyes misty. "Hinata, have you seen this?"

She nodded, slurping up her noodles. Naruto cleared his throat. "Actually, there's another letter neither of you have seen. I think you'll find it interesting indeed."

He pulled the mission report out of his pocket and handed it to Hinata, who motioned Sakura over. Together they read the truth about the Uchiha massacre and why there were no Uzumakis in Konoha.

"Naruto, this… this is huge!" Sakura exclaimed, settling onto her stool. "Does Tsunade-sama know about this?"

Naruto shook his head.. "I was gonna tell her after lunch today. The only question remains is what is she gonna have_ us _do about it."

Hinata glared. "I don't see why that should change. Sasuke attacked and attempted to kill a fellow Konoha shinobi. He betrayed us all; the only reason Hokage-sama hasn't sent an army after him is because he was just a genin when he left and didn't know anything important about Konoha."

Naruto shook his head. "It's not that simple, Hinata-chan. This information completely destroys the only motive Sasuke had for doing everything he's done so far, for good or ill. I'm just wondering how the baa-chan will interpret it."

Naruto returned his attention to his noddles, signaling the old man for more. He glanced over at Sakura.

"Hey Sakura, you've got noodles on your head!"

Sakura immediately moved her hand to the accused area. "What? Where?"

Naruto seized the opportunity to flick a few noodles onto her hand as it searched, and they landed with a satisfying splat.

"Naruto!" Sakura yelled, flinging the noodles back at a laughing Naruto.

They spent the rest of the lunch chatting about Konoha, with every other question from Hinata and Sakura being about details of Naruto's training with Jiraiya. Finally, even Naruto was stuffed, so he opened up his little frog wallet, counted out the yen, and placed it on the counter.

"Neh, see you in a few hours old man!" Naruto called back as he walked away, flanked by the two kunoichi.

Naruto led them directly to the Hokage's tower. "You guys can wait out here if you want; I'm just gonna deliver the letter to baa-chan. Be right back!" and with that he dashed up the stairs, leaving behind a sputtering Hinata and a fuming Sakura.

* * *

Naruto knocked on the door to the Hokage's office, eliciting a "Come in!" 

Naruto walked in. "That's funny, baa-chan, I didn't think you'd be awake! Isn't this paperwork time?"

He ducked under a heavy medical textbook and continued, ignoring the SLAM of the many pounds of paper hitting the wall.

"I've got something you need to look at immediately." Naruto said seriously, placing the letter on the desk.

Tsunade looked at Naruto curiously, opening the letter. She read it carefully, then handed it back to Naruto.

"Well, this certainly changes a few things. I guess the real question it, how does it change for you?"

Naruto frowned. "This whole conspiracy reeks of the Hyuuga, excluding Hinata-chan and Neji. If the Hyuuga orchestrated the whole thing, then not only is Itachi completely innocent, but Sasuke had been on a wild goose chase for almost his entire life."

Tsunade nodded. "I'm glad to see you're not letting your emotions cloud your judgment of the situation. Now, I know what I'm going to do about it, but I'd like to hear your opinion."

Naruto looked up thoughtfully. "Well, I'd like to have three things accomplished, if it were up to me. First, I'd ascertain just how much of Sasuke's actions were caused by corruption from the cursed seal. Second, I'd confront both Itachi and Sasuke in an attempt to bring both of them back to Konoha because, from what I've seen, we still need strong ninjas, especially with the threats from Akatsuki and Orochimaru."

Tsunade smiled. "You sure have grown, bra-"

Naruto grinned. "And finally, I'd like to find out what my kekkai genkai is!"

Tsunade's praise died in her throat. "Well, except for that last one, I agree with you. Naruto, as the foremost medical expert in the world, your kekkai genkai may never manifest itself because of the interference caused by the Kyuubi as you grew up. I'd confer with him and get his opinion on this."

Naruto frowned, but perked up when Tsunade said, "However, I've decided to give you an S-class mission. Your objective is to travel to the unofficial Sound country. From there, locate Orochimaru and Sasuke. Avoid confrontation if at all possible, but you have official permission to fight and kill anyone you meet, including Orochimaru and Sasuke. However!"

Naruto stood at attention.

"Your number-one priority on this mission is to isolate Sasuke and explain everything to him. Do it anyway possible, and then come home with the results. Are we clear?"

Naruto nodded, grinning. "Woohoo! My first S-class mission!"

Tsunade smiled despite the gravity of the situation. "You leave in one week. This time is to be spent with your team perfecting your teamwork, as well as to relax. Return to my office one week from now. Dismissed!" Tsunade waved her hand, returning to her paperwork.

Naruto nodded once, then performed a quick seal and poofed away.

* * *

Hinata and Sakura had spent the time Naruto was talking with Tsunade by glaring at each other and thinking up ways to get Naruto alone with themselves. Naruto chose to poof right between them. 

"What the-" Sakura exclaimed. "Naruto, _please_ don't do that!"

Naruto grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, Sakura-chan. But we got a mission!"

Hinata smiled. "Great! What is it and when do we leave?"

"A search and retrieval mission beginning one week from now." Naruto explained. "We'll be headed for Sound country, but we have the week to work on teamwork and..."

Naruto trailed off, then jumped. "My new techniques! I have learn my new techniques! And you all have to too! We'll be so powerful!" Naruto exclaimed, punching the air in front of him.

Hinata laughed. "Hey Naruto, would you like to have dinner with me tomorrow night? Just the two of us?" She blurted out, shocked at her own boldness, though her confidence was precisely what she had worked on for three years.

Sakura's mouth dropped open, but she recovered magnificently, plan already forming.

"Sure Hinata-chan! I'd love too! I mean… that'd be awesome! I mean…" Naruto trailed off, blushing.

Sakura chose this opportunity. "Well Naruto, will you have dinner with me _two _nights from now? Alone?" She asked innocently, shooting a victory sign at Hinata.

"Sure, Sakura-chan! Ummm… I should go now! I'm gonna check out those new techniques! Bye Sakura-chan, see you at 5 tomorrow, Hinata-chan!"

And he poofed away. Hinata glared at Sakura, who returned the favor.

_I won't lose!_

_

* * *

_

YAY! More chapter goodness!

I wonder just how many of you actually got the alert that my story was updated.

Oh well. R&R, and hope you enjoyed it! Look out for more!


	13. I'm Not Sasuke!

EDITED: 10/07/07

Hello again! Thank you all so much for reviewing; really helps.

This chapter, though my longest, is more of an intermission/catch-up chapter. However, maybe a little foreshadowing for later, yah?

On with the story! (I was never good at author notes.)

* * *

Chapter 12 – I'm Not Sasuke!

A poof of smoke echoed throughout the Uzumaki household. Naruto panted as he leaned against the door for support. As an after thought he locked it, though he knew any ninja worth keeping out wouldn't even break his step as he walked through the door.

Naruto grinned. _Then again, most of the arrogant ninja in this village would think that NO one would expect someone to come through a window! Why bother with the door?_

Naruto sighed. He was mentally avoiding the confrontation he knew was building within himself.

_**Two confrontations actually…**_

Naruto groaned. _Shut up, baka-kitsune. Not now…_

The demon lord remained silent, but Naruto was past caring. He was already thinking about Sasuke-teme.

"I don't get it!" Naruto howled as he resisted the urge to punch something. He growled as he thought, _This was a clan house! There's GOT to be something I can beat up!_

A few minutes later he was standing in a training room on the first floor, surrounded by wooden posts and dummies.

Naruto selected a particularly tough-looking log and began to rip it a new one.

Literally.

"What the hell happened to my murderous rage?" Naruto wondered aloud as he pounded the post with heavy, deliberate jabs.

"Sasuke betrayed me." WHAM!

"Sasuke betrayed the whole village of Konoha, the one I have sworn to protect. He betrayed Sakura, and he betrayed everyone!"

WHAM-WHAM…THWACK!

"So I still have to kill him, right?"

BOOM!

The log exploded, peppering Naruto with splinters. He watched amusedly as the were pushed out of his body by his healing chakra.

"Right?" He questioned the empty air.

Then the truth of the matter his him like a ton of bricks.

"No." Naruto affirmed aloud. "I don't have to kill him. That's his choice. If he ends up dead by my hand, so be it, but I will NOT hunt him down!"

Naruto smiled grimly. "I am NOT Sasuke!"

Naruto sat down on the floor, not because he was tired, but because he needed to think, and standing was not conducive to thinking.

"I mean, no one really deserves death. What right do I have to take someone's life? That's not my job; we have a god for that sort of thing. But I do have to find Sasuke. Despite everything he's done, he deserves to know. After all, the letter was intended for him, though I can't imagine why he wasn't told the truth in the first place. Would've saved ME a lot of trouble, that's for sure!" Naruto finished, rubbing his left shoulder absentmindedly.

Then he stood up and selected another unfortunate log. As he prepared to kill it, the fight suddenly left him, and he slumped onto a nearby bench.

His head in his hands, he let loose a groan.

"Why ME!" He yelled helplessly. "This has to be the most ironic thing that's ever happened to me! Not only have I finally earned Sakura-chan's approval, but now I find out that Hinata-chan likes me! What the HELL!" He shouted.

Then it hit him. It was not late, not late at all! He could make it! Besides, it would give him an opportunity to do a little investigating into the cross-clan conspiracy! Yeah, it could work! It had to work!

"Neji!" Naruto shouted.

knock-knock-knock… SLAM

"Shit…" Naruto mumbled. He ran through seven hand seals in a blur, ending with snake; as he did so, he faded from existence.

_Thank you, Ero-sennin, for teaching me your cloaking techniques!_ Naruto thought triumphantly. He ran downstairs, not making a sound, and was greeted to a strange sight: his door, knocked in, but still on its hinges. Puzzled, Naruto turned around, only to trip over something hard and firm.

_Shit!_ He chorused mentally as he descended. _Only three people could have spotted me! I hope its not…_

But when he saw who had invaded his house, he wished with all his might that it was Sasuke who was standing over him, palm pointed at his heart.

"Heheheheh… how 'ya doin', Neji?"

Neji glared.

* * *

Sasuke glared at Orochimaru.

"Why the hell did you pull me out of the Fire Country!"

It was not a statement Orochimaru liked. He glared and leaned towards the boy, who did not back away. "This was not for you to know, but I think I will tell you, though not because you asked."

Orochmaru sat back on his throne-like chair. Of all the things he missed from his old destroyed hideout, he missed his chair the most. So he had had one made. He settled into it more comfortably.

"Konoha will be sending a team of jounin here to investigate. I wanted you here because Naruto-kun will undoubtedly be a part of that team. You are to kill him and activate the mangekyou sharingan. Or Sakura, if she is present; I imagine she would make an easier target."

Sasuke nodded. _She always was the weakest of the three._

He was about to apologize for interrupting Orochimaru in his latest experiment, an action guaranteed to get the Snake Sannin to teach him a new jutsu, when a scuffle broke out in the hallway. Sasuke started to leave to investigate, but was stopped by Orochimaru, who had suddenly appeared at the Uchiha's side.

"No; I will see to this myself."

Orochimaru shut the door behind him and turned to face an interesting scene.

Kabuto stood over the bodies of two snakes, which were in the process of poofing out of existence. He whipped around and bowed to Orochimaru. "My apologies, Orochimaru-sama. The captured summons got a little… unruly. I had to kill them."

Orochimaru shrugged indifferently. "It matters not," he purred. "that experiment was a failure. How is plan B faring?"

Kabuto smiled. "Well, Orochimaru-sama. Do you think we'll need it?"

Orochimaru shook his head. "No, but it never hurt to have one, did it?"

Kabuto laughed.

* * *

Itachi stood before his mysterious commander, patiently awaiting his next command, even though they both knew what it would be.

"Itachi, take your partner Kisame into Fire country. Uzumaki Naruto will be traveling with a team of jounin headed to sound country, presumably to attack Orochimaru. Give them this."

Itachi caught the ring that was tossed at him. His eyes betrayed no emotion, though he said, "It is time?"

The man cloaked in darkness nodded his head. "Yes. Guarantee the success of their mission, then carry out your plan."

Itachi nodded, and turned to leave.

If anyone had seen Itachi with his collar down at that moment, they would have wet themselves.

He was smiling. It was the grin of a man who had seen far too much in his life, but it was there nonetheless.

Itachi located Kisame within the halls of the structure easily.

"Come with me; we have a mission."

Kisame grinned; Itachi wondered once again if he was half-shark as he led the swordsman into the light of the above-world.

* * *

Naruto sweated as Neji leaned down next to him. With a single jerk he yanked Naruto into a standing position, ignoring the blonde's yelp.

"What do you intend to do to my cousin?" Neji asked bluntly and expectantly.

Naruto glared. "And what is that supposed to mean?"

Neji matched his glare. "Hinata-…imouto just returned home. She asked her father if she could be home late tomorrow night. When my father asked, she said that she was going on a date. Her father did not press the issue, but I knew exactly what she meant. So I came here."

Neji smiled evilly. "I like you Naruto; you're a nice guy. I see why Hinata…never mind. My point is, if you hurt her…" He let it trail off, patting Naruto on the shoulder.

Naruto paled as he felt a small amount of chakra being thrust into his shoulder. Neji smiled at his reaction. "I'm glad we understand each other. You have fun tomorrow night."

Neji turned sharply, but Naruto called out, "Oy, Neji!"

He turned, then seeing the serious look on Naruto's face, walked back.

"First off, I will never hurt Hinata-chan. Ever; and that's a promise."

Neji nodded.

"Two: there's something I want you to look at." Naruto pulled a letter out of his pocket at gave it to Neji, who scanned it quickly. He paled, and handed the letter back to Naruto.

"So what does this mean?" Neji asked.

Naruto shrugged. "I'm not sure. I just wanted you to know: keep your eyes peeled. Who knows what could be happening behind the scenes."

Neji nodded. "Thank you for showing me this. Does Hinata know?" At Naruto's nod, Neji turned to leave. "I will see you later then, Naruto."

Naruto watched until he left, then walked back upstairs to his bedroom. He touched his father's box gently, then picked it up and carried it downstairs, grabbing a blanket as he did so.

He placed the box on the kitchen counter and found a couch in a room that looked like it was used for relaxation. He pulled the blanket over him and fell asleep almost instantly.

For now that he knew, it just didn't feel right to be sleeping in his father's bed.

* * *

As he was washing his face the next morning, he found that it was impossible to keep his new long hair out of his face for longer that two seconds.

"How the hell did Dad ever manage it!" He whined, then sobered as he realized he would never get to ask him. On an impulse, he pulled it back as if to tie it in a pony-tail.

"Damn…" He whistled. "Why didn't I think of this sooner? No more hair troubles!" Naruto crowed. He ripped open a random cabinet, searching for something small and elastic.

When he left his house for morning training, Naruto cut quite the path through the crowd of Konoha. Possessed of a leaner face which brought his whisker marks to greater prominence, he was quite the looker. High cheekbones, dark blue eyes, and long blonde hair. Two locks came down on either side of his face, almost in the fashion of the Yamanaka, but less jaunty. He wore a pair of black pants, supplies pouch at his hip and two kunai holsters, one on each leg. For a top he chose a dark blue shirt and a jacket of the same color, both of which covered his custom-made ninja armor. Gone was the orange of youth, though Naruto still wished he could wear it.

As he threaded his way to the training areas, he couldn't help but wonder at the people staring at him, not with hatred, but with smiles and sometimes admiration.

He stopped at a small weapons shop, one which he remembered had refused to sell to him. He walked inside, expecting to be thrown out as usual, but was instead greeted by, "Good morning, Naruto! What may I help you with today?"

Naruto, though shocked, recovered quickly. "Could you please tell me why no one's been mean to me yet? And why the hell haven't you thrown me out?"

The man behind the weapons counter saddened. "Come here, boy. There's something we need to talk about."

Puzzled, Naruto weaved his way through the racks of weapons and stopped at the counter. The man pulled forth a set of kunai, eliciting a "Wow!" from Naruto.

"These kunai are made with reinforced stainless steel. They will never break and, thanks to a little jutsu I developed, they will never dull. They are yours, free of charge, in an effort to make up for how I've treated you."

Naruto stood rigid, shocked. "But…but why? I mean, I know you all know that Kyuubi no longer possesses a corporeal form, but… why? How come everyone's… normal? Forget that, they're acting like I'm the son of a hokage or something…"

Naruto trailed off.

"Hey wait a minute! You all knew the Yondaime! Why the hell didn't you recognize me sooner! And-"

"Naruto!" The man shouted. Naruto fell silent. "You still don't know the whole story. We were told by everyone that _Kazama _Arashi had given his life in the defense of the village. He had had his name changed after the war with rock to protect his family from any vengeance-seekers. He actually went by the name Kazama instead of Arashi up until his death."

"Oh…" Naruto mumbled. "So…"

"So our esteemed Godaime called a village meeting to reveal everything about you. She didn't tell us you were Arashi's son until the end. Instead, she basically read us your resume, and it was impressive, kid. There was no one in the village after that who didn't respect you for defending our village from Shukaku. And then she dropped the bombshell: 'Oh and by the way, he's the son of Arashi.' So you see why. And besides…" the old man looked Naruto up and down. "You cut a mean figure, boy. I wouldn't object to _my _daughter dating you, that's for sure!" he finished with a wink.

Naruto blushed. "Who's your daughter?"

The man drew himself up proudly. "Konoha's number one weapon master, besides myself!"

Naruto's face lit up in recognition. "Tenten?"

"The one and only!"

Naruto smiled, content, then said, "Old man, I can't just accept these weapons for free. But you won't let me pay for them?"

The man shook his head.

Naruto grinned. "Well fine then." And Naruto walked over to the single-bladed weapons of the katana variety. "So tell me old man, which one would you suggest for me?"

The old man almost leapt over the counter to Naruto's side. "Well, from your body build and your size, I'd say you're a taijutsu master with an equal speciality in ninjutsu. You're fast, but you can hit hard with the best of them. For you…" He trailed off as he browsed the racks.

"For you…" And then he stopped moving. He slowly turned to look Naruto in the eye.

"You haven't activated your bloodline yet, have you?"

Naruto groaned. "No! And you can just-"

The man laughed. "Relax, Naruto. It's impossible to activate before the end of puberty, though having had the Kyuubi in you, you should be able to activate it any day now."

Naruto grinned. "Really?"

The man nodded, then remembered what he had though of. "Wait right here boy." And he disappeared into the back of the shop.

He returned with a long cloth-wrapped bundle. He handed it to Naruto, motioning for him to unwrap it. "Not many people know this, but your father was the only one to ever defeat me in an iaijutsu match. As a reward, I crafted this blade especially for him. When he died and the sword was recovered, I swore never to let it see the light of day again. However…"

Naruto gasped as the magnificent blade was revealed. The blue metal shone dully, but it was the most beautiful piece of weaponry Naruto had ever seen. He gave it a few test slashes, noticing how balanced the blade was and how perfect it fit his hand.

"However, I didn't know he had a son. That blade is yours by right; I have a feeling your father left something for you to read about it in one of the scrolls I helped him scribe-oh!"

The man paled. "Shouldn't have said that. Trust me though, this blade is much, much more than a simple katana. It's yours for free, so you can pay for the kunai set if you want."

Naruto grinned and pulled out Gama-chan, emptying it into the man's hand. "Pleasure doing business with you!"

Naruto exchanged his old kunai for the new ones and strapped the sword to his back with a sword belt selected from the man's shop. As he left, the man called out, "By the way, my name is Busho! Come back again!"

Naruto laughed and turned, only to run into Tenten. As she fell backwards with a yelp, Naruto caught her deftly. "Oops… wasn't looking where I was going. Are you okay?"

Tenten, despite herself, blushed. "Yeah I'm… I'm fine. Hey!" She yelled, noticing the sword on Naruto's back. "What the hell are you doing with that?" She jumped away from Naruto, two kunai appearing in her hands. They didn't stay there long though, and Naruto found himself rolling to the side to avoid the daggers.

"Tenten!" Busho roared. The kunai twirled around his fingers. "How many times have I told you not to attack the customers!"

"That man is stealing Naruto-kun's blade!" Tenten yelled back. "Give me my kunai back, they're the only ones I have on me right now!"

That, apparently, was the wrong thing to say, as Busho's neck became redder than a tomato. "WHAT!" he roared. "These are ALL you have on you!"

Tenten made a shushing noise. "Of course not! But he doesn't need to know!"

Busho sighed. "Tenten, take a closer look at the young man."

Tenten grumbled as she met Naruto's blue eyes. She paled.

"Oh Kami-sama, I'm so sorry Naruto-kun!" She blushed.

Busho laughed. "Why don't you make it up to him, honey? Teach him how to use that sword of his before he cuts his own toes off."

Tenten's face went from fright to delight. "Excellent! How about it, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto smiled. "Sure! I was planning on just basic training today, but I would love to learn how to use this!"

Tenten blushed again, causing Naruto to wonder just what he had gotten himself into. "Okay Naruto-kun, meet me at the training area!"

And she poofed away, leaving a laughing Busho.

"Better go, kid. She hates tardiness. See this scar?" And he pointed to a vicious gash on his cheek.

Naruto paled and poofed away with a hasty seal.

Busho laughed again. "Gets 'em every time."

* * *

Well, well, well... how does this factor in, neh?

Two notes:

1. Busho is my creation.

2. I have no idea what Tenten's clan name is. Any sages out there?

R&R, my friends! More to come in a few days!


	14. Living Life to the Fullest

Up in the sky! It's a bird... it's a plane! No, it's... it's Super Chapter!

This one's my longest yet, so I hope you all enjoy reading it!

Oh, and a general notice: I WILL NEVER EVER EVER WRITE A HAREM FIC!

That is all. Note, that does not say ANYTHING about the quality of harem fics, nor my opinion on them. I simply do not write them. I have nothing against harem fics, for that matter; as long as they are tastefully done.

A special thank-you goes out to DJ Rodriguez, Sealdfox, and all the other readers who reviewed! Your thoughts, comments, and advice are all greatly appreciated; thank you for taking the time to R&R!

My thoughts for today: I just saw the season finale of Avatar, and I am remembering Uncle Iroh's words: "Life is like this dark tunnel. You don't always see the light at the end, but if you follow your heart and continue onwards, you will come to a better place." That pretty much describes how I feel right now. I am uncertain and confused about a lot of things right now, and I know I'm not the only one in this great big world of ours. With those closest to us supporting us, we can continue onwards!

Some of you might recognize a few things; so as so not spoil the surprise, disclaimers will come at the end!

Onward! (indeed...)

* * *

Chapter 13 - Living Life to the Full 

Naruto swarped into existence at the training field to find Tenten standing before him, wielding a simple katana.

"I'm going to use a generic katana so I don't hurt you, okay Naruto? There's something you need to understand: I know all about your fights with Hinata, Lee, and Tsunade-sama, and frankly: that's great and all, but right now you are far weaker than me when it comes to weapons. For example: take a look around you."

Annoyed, Naruto did a quick surveillance, then did a double-take and inspected the area more closely. Dozens of traps surrounded the training field. Puzzled, Naruto turned back to Tenten.

"I'm glad you noticed; bringing your half-dead body to Tsunade-sama didn't really appeal to me. If you stray too far out of the training area, you'll set of some traps. So don't get pushed out!" Tenten yelled.

Naruto paled.

Tenten grinned. "Now blondie, we're gonna start by teaching you the various forms of katana swordplay. These will similar to the ones used by the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, so don't be discouraged if you can't get them right away."

Naruto nodded, then paid rapt attention as Tenten began to execute a series of moves. Naruto was surprised to notice that he was able to follow them, and was able to detect exactly when Tenten switched forms, though it made his eyes hurt a little. Tenten stopped after awhile, then asked, "How many forms do you think I went through?"

Naruto gave a trademark fox-grin. "Seven."

Tenten's eyes widened. "That wasn't a guess, was it?"

As Naruto shook his head, Tenten smiled. "I guess you really _are_ all you're cracked up to be. Okay, here's the first form! It's used when attacking or defending against multiple ninja at once. It's an all-around form, so this will be the one you settle into when you initiate a battle – this form has no disadvantages. Okay, draw and begin!"

Naruto drew his katana and moved to stand next to Tenten who, after blushing slightly, began to slowly execute the stance and various moves that resulted from the form. After two hours of this practice, which then involved increasing in speed and variations, Tenten stopped suddenly. She jumped away from Naruto, grinning.

"Okay blondie, you're getting the hang of it! I noticed that you follow my variations really quickly; that shows that you have a real knack for swordsmanship. After you've been taught the fourth stance, you should be able to learn any form just by learning the stance. For now, stick to the Shii-cho. Ready?"

And without waiting for an answer, Tenten leapt towards Naruto, blade slicing from top right diagonally. Naruto slid into the Shii-cho stance almost subconsciously and parried the blow, allowing Tenten's sword to slide down his. He attempted a chop slice from the left, but Tenten anticipated such a common parry and recovered magnificently, blocking with the hilt of her katana.

They continued in the same manner for another half-hour, until Tenten began a flurry of blows that completely overwhelmed Naruto's defense. As Tenten's sword flicked up to his neck, he laughed helplessly.

"Well, that's it then. Same time tomorrow morning?" Naruto asked hopefully. "I'll learn all seven forms in one week!"

Tenten laughed. "Like I said, and especially at the rate you're going, that will be entirely possible. Mastering the forms, though…" Tenten grinned evilly. "Ain't no way to get around the time it takes for that. See you tomorrow, blondie."

And with a seal, she poofed away. Naruto grinned at her departure and began to practice his new sword skill.

* * *

An hour later, Hinata and Sakura arrived from opposite ends of the training field. Naruto waved to them, then intercepted Rock Lee's flying kick with one hand. Shifting his grip, he swung Lee around and into the ground. 

Lee popped back on his feet, laughing. "It is good to see that our team commander is always on his guard!"

Naruto laughed. "Okay, Hinata-chan, Sakura-chan, c'mon over! We've got teamwork to work on, so listen up!"

Hinata and Sakura came over, and Naruto immediately slashed his katana at Hinata and Sakura. They yelped and were driven together so that their shoulders were touching.

"And that means any petty differences you have, set them aside! I know you two are good friends, and frankly I don't care what you two are bickering about… for now. Right now you _will_ set those differences aside and work together! Are we clear?"

Hinata stood straight and nodded. "Osu, Naruto-kun."

Sakura nodded as well. Naruto smiled, then began to outline their training schedule for the rest of the week.

"…and on the last couple days, if we're ready, I'm going to use a technique I've been developing for the last few months and we'll train our teamwork through action. Any questions?"

At their silence, Naruto nodded and they began to work on four-man formations and combination attacks. Naruto worked them until they ran out of sweat, but Naruto was always keeping pace with them, never leaving them behind, and always lending a hand. Eventually, Lee, Hinata, and Sakura began to do the same, helping and supporting each other in their movements.

* * *

After three grueling hours, Naruto held up a hand. "That's enough for today. Be back here tomorrow morning at the same time. Dismissed!" 

Naruto turned to head back to town. As he walked Hinata ran up to walk beside him.

"You're a good squad leader, Naruto-kun. I think you'd do great with a team of genin!"

Naruto laughed. "I dunno Hinata-chan. I don't have much experience with children!"

Hinata laughed. "I disagree, Naruto-kun! The only example you have is your own childhood. Your very insightful, and I think you'd be able to teach three completely different kids really well!"

Naruto smiled. "Thanks Hinata-chan. I have given it some thought; after all, taking on a team of genin is one of the requirements for Hokage! That, or taking on an apprentice, whom you can still have when you become Hokage!"

"You know a lot about becoming Hokage, Naruto-kun." Hinata mused. "When did you learn all this?"

Naruto grinned. "During the only non-combat class I paid attention to in the academy. Iruka-sensei almost fainted when he realized I was paying such rapt attention."

Naruto thought for awhile. "Actually, during my training with Ero-sennin, I learned a ton of history and war strategy. I did this in my own time, so that I could be better prepared to lead a village."

Hinata smiled, eyes misty. "You've grown up so much, Naruto-kun, and yet not at all…"

Naruto smiled. "Why don't you get some rest, Hinata-chan. We've got a date tonight, remember?"

Hinata gasped. "I can't believe I almost forgot! Come by the Hyuuga house at 6! See you then, Naruto-kun!"

And Naruto was once again left alone, his only company the fleeting puff of smoke left by his departed friend. He laughed at some inside joke, then poofed away himself.

He had a few things to take care of...

* * *

Naruto decided to walk to the Hyuuga compound for two reasons: one, because it was probably bad etiquette to use the shunshin jutsu to reach someone's home, and two: because he wanted to approach the compound on foot to try and hear any "conspiracies." 

_Besides, I've GOT to wear in these clothes!_

Naruto had found some sort of formal wear in a closet in some random bedroom. Admiring the quality of the outfit, Naruto quickly donned the navy-blue robe. After deciding that he looked like a samurai, he set out to see if he could glean any information.

He didn't, and arrived at the front door without excitement. Unsure of what to do, he spied a small button on the side of the gate. He reached out and pressed it, and immediately a chime sounded.

He stood around for a few seconds until a white-eyed child came running to the door. Naruto saw that it was a young girl, no more than eleven, and probably around Konohamaru's age. He smiled as she approached, causing her to blush profusely.

_Must be Hinata-chan's sister._ Naruto thought.

"Hi, I'm… Naruto! I'm here to pick up Hinata-chan; may I come in please?"

The girl smiled. "It's about time my sister got you on a date! I was wondering when she would penetrate that thick skull of yours. C'mon in!"

As she swung open the gate, she added, "My name's Hanabi!"

Naruto laughed. "It's my pleasure to meet you, Hanabi-chan! I'm sure we'll be good friends, but for now, could you show me in?"

Hanabi motioned Naruto to follow, and led him further into the Hyuuga house. Naruto was struck by how Feudal Japan-ish the architecture and décor was.

_Must be tradition again…_ Naruto thought glumly.

Hanabi led him to a courtyard and motioned that Naruto should sit down. He did so, Indian-style.

"Hinata-nee-san will be here shortly. I think she's still getting ready." Hanabi giggled, then ran off into the house.

_Well, she seems alight!_ Naruto thought happily as he sat in the courtyard, simply passing the time with a calm meditation he learned from Ero-sennin. Despite being a "super-pervert", the old man was far wiser than he had ever let on before Naruto's true apprenticeship.

While he was meditating, Naruto became aware of a certain tingly sensation in his eyes, right above them in his head. Annoyed, he stomped out the feeling and it subsided, but he could still sense it just beyond his perceptions.

After a few minutes, he became aware of another presence. It was a chakra signature he had never felt before, one that commanded respect. Naruto opened his eyes and rose, only to be greeted by the stern face of the head of the Hyuuga house. Naruto stared at the tall man for a few moments before giving a slight bow of respect.

"Arigato, Hiashi-sama, for allowing me to enter your home."

As Naruto unbended, he swore he saw astonishment flash across the man's face before fading away into impassivity.

"You are welcome… _Uzumaki_ Naruto."

Naruto glared. "You speak my clan's name as though you were familiar with it."

Hiashi returned the glare with equal severity. "I have know your clan since I was a small child; is it not normal that I be acquainted with the name of a noble clan of Konoha, being the head of one myself?"

Naruto nodded, grimacing. "Yes… it makes perfect sense."

"Indeed…" Hiashi muttered. Unconsciously the two men began to circle each other, stopping when they had switched positions.

Suddenly, Hiashi laughed. He laughed long and hard, clutching his stomach and wiping away tears. When he had finished, he smiled at Naruto, who was shocked to see genuine kindness in Hiashi's eyes.

"Forgive me, Naruto-san, but you are more like your father than I could have possibly imagined," Hiashi explained. "I apologize for my little game, but I had to see if you were as determined as they say you are for myself."

Naruto smiled. "No problem, Hiashi-sama. Though I have to admit, I thought I was going to have to fight my way through here to get Hinata-chan!"

Hiashi chuckled. "Yes, well there is _that _matter. Neji told me that you had no intention of hurting Hinata, and would in fact defend her with your life. Is this true?"

Naruto thumped his chest. "On my word, upon which I never go back."

Hiashi smiled. "My eldest daughter has said the same thing, and she has always kept her word."

His smile became one of sadness as he walked closer to Naruto. Bending to his ear, he said, "You and I will speak when you return from your mission to the Sound country. There is much we need to discuss concerning the, ah… conspiracy you have uncovered."

Naruto nodded, then sensed another chakra signature enter the room. Realizing who it was, he leaned around Hiashi and let his jaw drop to the floor.

Hinata stood before him clad in a resplendent pale violet kimono. Her hair tumbled behind her head and gleamed blue; her pearly eyes shone with happiness.

"Hinata-chan, y-you look… you l-look amazing!" Naruto forced out, trying to shake off his astonishment.

_C'mon, it's just Hinata-chan… right? Sure, she's beautiful all the time, but WOW! She's gorgeous! I mean… oh no…._

Hinata smiled. "Arigato, Naruto-kun. Shall we get going?"

Naruto held up a hand. "Hold on a sec, Hinata-chan." He turned to face Hiashi.

"Hiashi-sama, are you alright with me taking your daughter out tonight?"

Hiashi had never been more shocked. Here was the loudest ninja in Konoha, keeper of Kyuubi, and possibly one of the most powerful shinobi ever, asking him with utmost respect if he could date his daughter!

"Of course, Naruto!" Hiashi smiled.

Naruto grinned in return, then extended his arm to Hinata-chan, who took it demurely. Ignoring the fact that Hinata's soft form was slightly pressed up against his own, and that he really enjoyed the intimacy, Naruto led Hinata out of the compound.

* * *

"Well, here we are!" Naruto said. 

Hinata smiled. "Naruto, this is… this is amazing! How did you know that I like sushi?"

Naruto grinned. "That's my little secret. Now come on! We're only just gonna make the reservation!"

"Reservation… Naruto!"

But he had already led them to the seating hostess. "Hello ma'am, our reservation is under 'Tsunade'."

Hinata paled. "N-Naruto-kun, did you seriously-"

The seating hostess smiled. "Ah yes, Uzumaki Naruto and Hyuuga Hinata; step right this way please." And, grabbing a couple menus, she led them away.

Naruto almost had to drag the stunned Hinata behind them as they weaved through the tables. They ended up next to a window facing a starlit sky over the forest surrounding Konoha. Naruto thanked the hostess, then pulled out a chair for Hinata. Still dazed, she accepted the seat with a muttered 'arigato'. Naruto seated himself, then looked at Hinata, puzzled. He began to panic when Hinata remained in her dazed state.

"Ah, I'm sorry Hinata-chan! Did I do something wrong?" Naruto asked helplessly.

Hinata shook her head and snapped her hand out to grab one of Naruto's flailing appendages. She smiled as he calmed down, staring at her hand enclosing his.

"No, Naruto-kun, it's exactly the opposite. I'm just surprised, that's all! But then again, I should have expected to be surprised, neh?"

Naruto laughed. "Ha! You just wait!"

Inside, however, Naruto was anything but certain.

_Dammit! Just how do I feel? I loved Sakura-chan for years! Why do I feel like this around Hinata-chan? I never did around Sakura-chan! What the HELL! This is just a date… right? I sure went to a lot of trouble, though, for just one date…._

Naruto was interrupted in his musings by a waiter who had approached his table.

"Good evening, Naruto-sama, Hyuuga-sama, it is our pleasure to-"

Naruto interrupted him with an upraised hand. "Hold it right there. Do you treat all your customers this way? As if they were a noble clan?"

The waiter looked puzzled. "But of course, Naruto-sama. All of our guests here are treated with the utmost respect. Your grandfather saw to that _years _ago! Now, what may I get you two to drink?"

Naruto's hand was once again taken by Hinata's and placed gently on the table. "Just two waters for now, please. Thank you," Hinata said quietly. She turned to Naruto, and was concerned to see tears forming in eyes. She calmed somewhat when she noticed his smile, but still asked, "Naruto-kun, why are you crying?"

Naruto laughed helplessly and wiped his eyes.

"Because I'm happy! I just found out that my clan was… well, nice! I'm just glad my ancestors weren't jerks or anything…."

Hinata laughed. "So what did you do this morning? Where did that sword come from that you had this morning?"

Naruto smiled and related the story of how he had met Busho the weapons dealer, and about their conversation. After they ordered their sushi rolls, Naruto then explained why Tenten was training him, and just what. As their dinner arrived, their conversation turned to lighter matters, such as the state of Konoha, what had happened since Naruto had been gone. Throughout the night, Naruto was pleasantly surprised by Hinata. Gone was her quiet, timid demeanor. Sure, she was still a little quiet, but she had confidence and was not afraid to raise her voice. And she had a sharp wit! Naruto found that he enjoyed exchanging repartee with his…

_**Your what? C'mon kit, I'm DYING to hear this one!**_

_Shut up, baka-kitsune!_

After the meal had been eaten, Naruto loosed a soft burb of contentedness. Overriding Hinata's giggle with an 'excuse me', Naruto motioned over the waiter. After a few soft words, Naruto examined the check and paid the amount. He screwed his eyes upwards in thought, then laid the tip on the table and got up to stand behind Hinata's chair. He pulled it out as she rose, replacing the chair and offering her his arm, which she took once again.

As he led her out, he asked her as off-handedly as he could, "Hinata-chan, would you like to take a walk?"

Hinata nodded vigorously. "Yes! I mean… I'd love to, Naruto-kun."

Naruto chuckled, earning a light jab from Hinata, and led her into the only park in Konoha, though it was certainly large.

As they reached the gate encircling the forested area, a sharp pain lanced through Naruto's head, causing him to groan and lean against Hinata.

"OW!... Kami-sama, that was murder! What the hell is going on!" Naruto muttered vehemently.

"Naruto-kun, what happened?" Hinata asked worriedly. Naruto groaned, clenching his eyelids shut.

"It's my forehead! It keeps hurting, and it's been doing it all night! I can't stand it! Could you take a look at it with your byakugan?"

"Of course, Naruto-kun. Here, sit down." And she led him to a bench, helping him ease into it. She knelt in front of him and activated her bloodline. She gasped as she focused in on his eyes, then released her all-seeing eye.

"Naruto-kun? Can you open your eyes?"

"I… I think so. Why?" Naruto asked, as he opened her eyes.

Hinata had always thought Naruto's eyes were the most beautiful in Konoha. They were a dark cerulean blue, and they shone with happiness and sadness and all sorts of emotions.

Hinata was blown away by what she saw.

Instead of Naruto's normal blue eyes, they had become something entirely different. The whites of his eyes had become a metallic blue, and his irises had melded into them, so it appeared as if his pupil was a lone black dot in a vast, silvery sea. Dumbfounded, Hinata watched as his pupils enlarged, then began to change color rapidly, from red to blue to green to black and back again. When they finished, Hinata saw that they had become the color of purest silver. She reached for her weapons pouch to pull out a kunai to show Naruto, then cursed softly as she realized she had left it at home. She activated her byakugan once more. After noticing that chakra had built up behind Naruto's eyes, she glanced around until she spotted a small lake.

"Naruto-kun, come with me and close your eyes. There's something I want to show you."

Naruto complied, rising. Hinata took his arm in hers and led him over to the lake. After checking that she could see her own face in it, she turned to Naruto.

"Open your eyes; we're next to a lake. Look at your reflection and tell me what you see."

Naruto opened his eyes. Hinata noticed that while the silver and blue colors in them shone with a metallic gleam, they did not give off light of their own. She watched as Naruto blinked, then leaned over into the lake.

He gasped. "Hinata-chan, what… what happened to my eyes? There _all_ blue! And silvery! And my pupil, it's… it's silver!"

Hinata turned Naruto to face her. "Naruto, I think… I think that's your kekkai genkai! You have a doujutsu just like the Hyuuga and the Uchiha!"

Naruto looked at Hinata for a few moments, then began to panic. "Ummmm…Hinata-chan? How do I turn it off?"

Hinata laughed. "I'm not sure! But I noticed when I looked at you with byakugan that there was some chakra stored just behind your eyes. Can you sense it?" When Naruto nodded, she said. "Okay, now gently _pull_ on that chakra."

Naruto tried, and Hinata saw that his eyes had changed back to normal. "You did it, Naruto-kun!"

Naruto laughed, picking up Hinata-chan by the waist and spinning her around. "I did it! Woohoo! I have an Uzumaki kekkai genkai! YATTA!"

Hinata laughed as Naruto spun around. She eeped as she was suddenly returned to the earth by a blushing, grinning Naruto, who looked more like a fox than ever before.

Hinata realized that she had passed over her crush for the loudmouth long ago. No, she loved the blonde shinobi. She wanted to support him and be there for him. She wanted to make him laugh and be happy. She loved him, but she was sad because she knew in her heart that she would never have Naruto. She decided right then and there that if she could not have him, then she would have a good friend nonetheless. No one could ever have too many good friends.

She returned to the world of the living to see Naruto still standing as he was before.

"Sorry, Hinata-chan, I-"

She stopped him. "No, it's okay Naruto-kun! That was fun!" she said laughing. "I'm happy for you, Naruto-kun," she added with a smile.

As Naruto's heart leapt in his chest yet again, he became aware of that curious feeling. It felt as though his heart was being constricted and his chest was clenching. He didn't like it at all.

_Oh, Kami-sama, what do I do? How do I feel-_

And then it hit him like a ton of bricks. He liked Hinata-chan, more than he would ever "love" Sakura-chan. He could be himself. He enjoyed her company immensely, and she could make him feel better with a simple, beautiful smile. He could make her laugh, and he could make her happy. More so, he _wanted _to make her happy. He couldn't stand the thought of her being sad.

Naruto realized that Hinata liked him immensely, something that everyone knew but him until he returned to Konoha. _I need to make up for lost time,_ he thought. _All those years, and I never knew. Time for something bold!_

And with that thought, he grabbed Hinata's arm and led her gently back to the bench they had found. As Hinata sat down puzzled, she giggled.

"What?" Asked Naruto, puzzled himself.

"Your eyes!" Hinata laughed. "They've activated again!"

Naruto muttered and tried to pull back his chakra. When Hinata nodded that they had receded again, Naruto sat down. He ran a hand through his pulled-back hair and sighed.

"Hinata-chan, I need to tell you something."

Hinata paled. _This is it,_ she thought. _This is where he tells me I agreed to dinner so that I could tell you 'Let's just be friends'._

Naruto inhaled deeply. "Hinata-chan, at first I agreed to take you out this evening so that I could spend some time with you as a friend, and leave company as friends."

Hinata looked down her fears confirmed. Then she realized something.

"At… at first?" She asked, confused.

Naruto nodded. "Yeah. But… but as the evening went on, I realized that I put more work into it than I thought! And we had so much fun together! Laughing, talking, having a good time… I really liked it, Hinata-chan."

Hinata looked up, hope gleaming in her eyes.

Naruto thought then and there that she was more beautiful than he had ever thought, besides her looks, which were stunning. No respect, having to earn everything. Loyal and honest, smart and funny… Naruto wanted to kick himself for not noticing before.

"And I had been so confused as to what I felt! Hinata-chan, I'm pretty smart, modesty aside, but I'm pretty stupid when it comes to stuff like feelings. I had no idea _what _it was that I felt! But I think I know now."

He took Hinata's hand tentatively. "Hinata-chan… I think… I think I'm falling in love with you."

Hinata paled. Tears formed. _I knew I fell asleep as I was getting ready! I knew it was all just a dream! I'm gonna wake up to Hanabi-nee-chan saying, 'he's here!', and I'm gonna realize that we haven't even gone out yet, and then-_

"Hinata-chan? Oh dammit, I knew you didn't feel the same! Why couldn't I have kept my big mouth…"

The rest of his lamentation was cut short as Hinata reached out with her other hand to take Naruto's. She squeezed it gently, then reached up to cup his face.

"I know this is a dream, but I can't help myself. I've been waiting to hear this for ten years, and I just can't help myself." Hinata said softly. She took Naruto's hand again, noticing that Naruto was smiling like a fool.

"Naruto-kun, why are you-OW!" Hinata yelped as Naruto pinched her stomach. "What was that for?"

Naruto continued to smile. "To show that you weren't dreaming, Hinata-chan. Now, let's try this again."

He cleared his throat. "Hinata-chan, I'm falling in love with you," he said softly. "And I'm sorry I didn't realize it sooner."

Hinata stared at Naruto for a moment, the pain from his pinch subsiding. With a gasp, she launched herself towards Naruto. With a yelp he caught her.

"Hinata, are you crying?" Naruto asked. However, when the pale girl pulled back to look him in the eye, he saw that she was laughing.

"No, Naruto-kun. I'm laughing! I'm laughing because I'm happy!" And she buried her face in his chest.

"I'm happy because I feel the same way, Naruto-kun. I feel the same way."

Naruto smiled as he brought his arms around to hold Hinata closer to him.

_I hope you're seeing this, Dad. You too, Mom! I won't ever let her go, just like you two! I promise!_

Naruto started at something, then realized that Hinata had almost fallen asleep. He pushed her away slightly.

"Hinata-chan, I need to get you home before your father throws a fit."

"Ah, to hell with the old fart, I'm sixteen," Hinata mumbled.

Naruto gasped. "Hinata-chan!"

Hinata laughed. "Gomen, you're right." And she got up. Naruto stood up as well, this time to offer his hand. Hinata smiled and intertwined her fingers with his, and they set off, leaning on each other.

When they got to Hinata's house, she turned to face him.

"Arigato, Naruto-kun. I had a wonderful time. But…what to you want to tell people? About… about us?"

Naruto grinned. "I'll tell them that the most beautiful girl in Konoha has agreed to be my girlfriend! How's that?"

Hinata laughed, then hugged her new boyfriend. "You're amazing Naruto-kun. Good night, and see you tomorrow!"

As she turned to leave, she was stopped by a hand on her arm. The hand turned her around, and Naruto kissed her, softly. Shocked, Hinata kissed him back, but Naruto pulled away. _Dammit, too quickly!_ Hinata thought, then blushed at the thought.

"Good night, Hinata-chan. If I am amazing, then know that it is all for you. See ya tomorrow! And don't think this means easier training!"

Hinata laughed as she walked inside. Naruto watched until she was safely inside, then turned to walk back to his new house, whistling a tune.

As he reached his door, he thought of something that made his blood run cold and the hair on his neck stand up. He brought his hand up to his head and slapped it.

"Oh crap… Sakura-chan…"

A few blocks away, Sakura sneezed in her sleep.

* * *

Well, there's my fluff! Next chapter might not me as long, but it'll be good! I hope! 

Now that my pairing is out of the closet, I wonder just how many readers I'll lose? Oh well.

The sword forms I'll be using are ripped directly from KotOR II, though I will me modifying most of them. I do NOT own KotOR II, or Naruto; I DO own this story! YAY!

R&R, my friends! I eagerly await your criticisms, comments, and flames about how this should have been NaruSaku/Harem/whatever!

(Just kidding. Please review:-)


	15. Interesting Abilities

Hello, everyone! Sorry I haven't updated in a while; singing in festivals is hard, so now I have no voice! Fortunately, writing doesn't need one! So yay for more chapters!

Thank you to all my reviewers, your comments mean a lot to me. A special thanks goes out to those special reviewers; y'all know you you are.

On to the story!

* * *

Naruto stared at the box in what he now realized must have been his parents' room. With a shudder, he lifted the box gingerly off the bed and carried it to another bedroom, one that looked like someone his age had inhabited. 

_I can't do anything about Sakura right now…_ he thought resignedly. _I guess I'll look through the scrolls and see just what they're all about._

Naruto opened the box, removing the three scrolls and laying them on the bed beside him. He picked up the first one. Opening it, he saw that it was a scroll for the rasengan.

"Aw, man!" Naruto complained. "Ero-sennin already taught me this technique!"

He was about to toss the scroll aside when he noticed its unusual heft.

_That's odd; doesn't it just explain the three steps?_ Naruto thought. He decided to give the scroll another chance. Pulling it open, he realized that it did indeed it began by describing the three steps necessary to master the rasengan.

The key word, Naruto realized, was _began_.

The scroll not only encompassed the three steps, but contained the Yondaime's notes on how a certain step could be used outside of the rasengan, and Naruto was delighted to see that one of them involved the first step's use in water.

Naruto continued reading, then tried to form a one-handed rasengan. He was shocked to see that it formed, compact and ready to destroy. All Naruto did was follow his father's advice: begin by spinning one strand of chakra at a time, then add more in other directions as closely as you could to the preceding strands. This was something Jiraiya had refused to teach him, saying that he could do the rasengan just fine with his clones, and that one-handedness would come with practice.

Naruto excitedly began reading more. The next part involved creating an Odamma Rasengan, something Naruto had already thought of, so skipped to the next part.

Naruto saw a drawing of a ninja forming a rasengan, then throwing it…

Naruto looked on in amazement. The technique involved sheer control and power, but apparently it could be done, though the Yondaime mentioned that only he had ever accomplished throwing a rasengan. Naruto quickly memorized the technique, and continued.

He reached the end of the scroll, and read:

_Despite the power of the rasengan, it is in fact an unfinished technique. The rasengan takes form manipulation to the extreme, but it was intended to do the same with nature manipulation. I was unable to accomplish this, and so the rasengan remains a half-completed technique._

Naruto rolled up the scroll and placed it back in the box reverently. He then formed a rasengan and began to try and convert his chakra to wind, just as he did with his jutsu. It was harder without seals, and Naruto had to let the swirling chakra dissipate.

Naruto tried again a few more times unsuccessfully, then threw himself backwards onto the bed in frustration. He stared at the ceiling, muttering.

Then, he had an idea. Sitting up, he held a new rasengan in front of him. Satisfied, he let it dissipate, then concentrated. He tried to form wind chakra in his hand before spinning it about.

After a few minutes, Naruto began to form a new rasengan, and saw that it hummed with a white light, and contained blade-like eddies of wind, all swirling about it a tiny ball of destruction. The rasengan grew to normal size, then stopped, though Naruto felt as though it would burst any second. After holding it for a few minutes, Naruto let it dissipate with a sigh. He tried to form another one, and wsa thrilled to see it come quicker. He let it dissipate once more, then tried it with demonic chakra. This was easier, though Naruto thought he heard the sound of a vacuum in the middle. He vaguely remembered using the demonic rasengan, then figured it wasn't special enough to merit its own name. The wind one, though…

"I'll call it **Fuuton: Rasengan**!" Naruto said aloud happily, congratulating himself on the originality of the name.

He desperately wanted to try throwing a rasengan, but decided it wasn't worth the village's newfound respect for him. Instead, he reached for the next scroll in line.

He pulled it open.

He read, "A Detailed Account of the Technique: **Hiraishin no Jutsu **(Flying Thunder God)."

Naruto read on, and was greeted by a disclaimer. "WARNING: only those possessing the Uzumaki kekkai genkai will be able to use this jutsu."

Naruto grinned, then reached for the next scroll, guessing what it contained.

Opening it revealed: "The Shirugan: Doujutsu and Kekkai Genkai of the Uzumaki clan."

Naruto paled, and began reading.

Naruto opened his eyes to sunlight streaming into the Uzumaki clan home. Groaning, he performed his morning rituals and returned to the box. He still had an hour before he had to meet Tenten for sword practice, so he got dressed quickly and strapped on his blade, which he named "Makai", or "hell". He picked up the scroll on the Shirugan and reviewed it quickly, then went to the bathroom and looked in the mirror.

"Shirugan!" he shouted, pushing chakra into his eyes. He watched as they changed to the metallic blue and silver pupil he had seen the night before with Hinata.

_Hinata-chan…_Naruto thought, a warm feeling enveloping him.

_Sakura-chan... _Naruto thought as a feeling of dread overwhelmed him.

He shook the feeling off and deactivated his doujutsu. He resolved to do two things before attempting anything the scroll suggested: be able to activate it within a second of trying, just Neji, Hinata, and Sasuke could, and to be able to leave it on all day with no detriment to his chakra or physical stamina.

Naruto began to practice, and by the time he left for the training field, he could activate it in one second, which he figured was good enough after just having activated it for the first time. Grinning at his reflection in the mirror, he formed the seal for shunshin and poofed away.

Tenten was tapping her foot impatiently when Naruto poofed into existence on the training field, Makai in hand.

"Hi, Tenten! Sorry I'm-"

He was cut off by the weapon master leaping towards him, katana in hand. Without thinking Naruto activated the Shirugan and similarly leapt forward. This surprised Tenten, so much that Naruto was able to parry the enraged weapon mistress' first strike perfectly, so that he could disengage and trip her feet out from underneath her.

Unable to get over her shock and amazement, Tenten exclaimed, "Naruto, what the hell happened to your eyes! In like a split second they became all blue and silvery! Do you have a bloodlimit?"

Naruto grinned, then extended a hand to his trainer, who accepted it and was pulled into the standing position. She graciously accepted her katana from Naruto, then assumed an 'I'm waiting' pose.

"It's my Shirugan!" Naruto yelled happily. "I just found out about it last night! It's so cool-looking, way neater than the Sharingan!"

Tenten laughed. "Awesome! I'm really happy for you. However, it's time to learn the next form: Soresu! This form is all about combating ninjutsu users. I've decided, by the way, to teach you only four forms: Shii-cho, you already know, Soresu, which you're about to learn, and then two more, which you'll also learn today. They will be: Makashi, which is good against genjutsu, and Ataru, which is all about offense! You will then decide, at the end to today, which form you will pursue to the exclusion of all others. Using other forms, if you don't dedicate your life to mastering all of them, will detract from your strength with the sword. Clear?"

Naruto nodded. "Crystal. Let's get it started; I don't want to interfere with my team's training."

Tenten nodded, and began to show Naruto Soresu, Makashi, and Ataru. As Naruto watched, he kept his Shirugan active. He noticed that he could analyze the strengths and weaknesses of every form, as well as possible variations and combinations. He was shocked to see that this happened instantly. He chalked it up to the ability of the Shirugan to perceive and analyze any jutsu or kanji seal. However, the scroll mentioned nothing about the information being stored in his mind like the Sharingan. Naruto also realized that his vision was greatly enhanced, something the scroll said wouldn't happen for a few days. However, Naruto could see with the eyes of a bird of prey: not as far, but with excruciating detail to about 50 meters.

_Thanks, Kyuubi!_ Naruto thought; it was the only reason he could find for his accelerated bloodline ability.

As Tenten finished, she asked, "Well? Which one did you like the best?"

Naruto grinned. "If I had to choose, I would train in the Ataru form. However…"

And with a whirl of motion he whipped Makai out of its sheath and flourished it, settling into a stance as such: blade pointed directly away from Naruto, the bottom of the hilt almost touching his left shoulder, right hand leading and left hand supporting, so that his arms were holding the sword like a flute. Tenten gasped.

"That's… that's a variation of the Ataru form! It's so… so perfect! It combines its strengths with those of Soresu! How… how did you do that? It took me months of training before I could create variations of the stances!"

Naruto grinned. "Obviously you must have noticed that my eyes are not what they once were."

Tenten almost ran over to Naruto and approached him brazenly, stepping right up so that their noses were inches apart. She stared into his Shirugan, and gasped.

"Oh Naruto, they're beautiful! I mean… damn, that's awesome!" Tenten sputtered. "When did this happen?"

"Last night. Hinata-chan used her Byakugan to help me activate it. I've been studying about it since, and I can now analyze any jutsu, seal, and apparently kenjutsu! Maybe even taijutsu too! But the scroll didn't say anything about storing that knowledge like the Sharingan…"

Tenten shrugged. "Blame the Kyuubi!" She said cheerfully. "For once, your burden has paid off!"

Naruto laughed. "Oh, it has before, believe me!"

_**Damn straight, brat! You'd be dead without me!**_

_This has been a recording,_ thought back Naruto. _Fix your broken record Kyuubi!_

Naruto nodded. "What should I call my new form? I mean, I plan on training exclusively in it! Shouldn't it have an awesome name?"

Tenten nodded. "Call it… the Shien form! A blend of offense and unwavering defense!"

"YATTA!" Naruto exulted. "So c'mon, let's start training!"

As Sakura approached the training field where Naruto and Tenten were engaged in a vicious duel, she noticed that Hinata was already there, watching. As she did, Sakura also noticed that there was an unusual look of contentedness about her visage.

_She must really like Naruto…_ thought Sakura. _I wonder what Naruto-kun feels? Oh well… guess I'll find out tonight, neh?_

She walked over to stand beside Hinata. "Good morning, Hinata!" Sakura said by way of greeting.

Hinata laughed. "Sakura, you must have slept in! It's half past noon!"

Sakura looked at the paler girl, puzzled. _Way too cheerful…_

"In that case, Naruto-kun's late! OY! NARUTO-KUN!"

At the sound of Sakura's shout, Naruto stumbled.

"Hah! Victory is mine!" Tenten yelled, seeing the opening. With a whoosh of air she brought her katana down towards Naruto's neck, where she stopped it, cool metal pressed against warm flesh.

"KUSO!" shouted Naruto. "I was SO close!"

"Hah!" retorted Tenten. "Not even. I've got business to take care of for the next few mornings, so I'll meet you here on the last day before your mission. Train in your Shien form for now, and then we'll see how you do in an all-out weapons match!"

Naruto gulped. "Any weapon?"

Tenten grinned evilly. "See ya later!"

And she poofed away.

Naruto groaned and heaved himself off the ground. He wiped the sweat off his brow as he approached the two kunoichi.

"Hiya Sakura-chan, Hinata-chan! I was thinking that toda-"

Naruto was interrupted by a burst of smoke as Hinata disappeared and was replaced by Rock Lee, who leapt at Naruto with a battle cry.

Not even batting an eye, Naruto swiftly sidestepped and brought an open palm to Rock Lee's face, which he applied some force to. The result was that the rest of Lee's body continued where his head did not; Naruto then slammed the horizontal Lee down to the ground.

"And what, pray tell me, did you do with Hinata-chan? That wasn't a henge you just dropped, that was a replacement!" Naruto growled.

Lee only laughed. "Hah! You have bested me again, Konoha's number-one surprising ninja! But I will have you yet! Hinata-chan was in on it from the beginning; she's over there, just beyond the undergrowth. She'll be dazed, but otherwise fine."

Naruto nodded, then grinned. "You will never catch me off guard, Lee! Never! The two of you wait here while I fetch Hinata-chan, then we'll start the training."

Lee nodded and extended an arm to Naruto, who used it to propel him into a run towards where Lee had pointed.

When Naruto came through the undergrowth he was greeted by a smiling Hinata leaning against a tree in a small circular clearing.

"I knew you wouldn't fall for it, but I had to let Lee try!" Hinata explained as Naruto approached, not sure on what he thought about the situation.

"Besides…" Hinata said as she walked towards her new boyfriend. "It was the _perfect _opportunity to get you alone with me for a few seconds."

"Wait, what?" Naruto began, but was cut off by Hinata's lips pressing against his own.

_Damn fine way to be told to shut up_, thought Naruto. After a few seconds, Naruto pulled away while extending a hand to stop Hinata from advancing if she tried.

She did.

"Naruto-kun!"

"Hinata-chan, Sakura-chan and Lee still don't know. I have to tell Sakura tonight and Lee tomorrow, but I want to _tell_ her, not to have her find out. It will hurt her less, I think. If we stay here too long, Sakura-chan will make the leap in logic; she's very smart. So let's just do our training, and I'll come by your house tonight after the date with Sakura-chan, okay?"

Hinata nodded, then pulled her gaze away from Naruto and realized that Naruto had led her right back to the training area.

"You were right Lee, she was a bit dazed. Anyways, here's the plan for today…"

Sakura collapsed on her bed, moaning softly. She had been trained by the Hokage herself, and that was grueling indeed, but she was beginning to wonder just who was the greater taskmaster.

"Naruto, you oaf!" She yelled to her ceiling. She turned on her side to look at the clock.

"7:55! Kuso! Naruto-kun will be here in five minutes!" Sakura yelped as she launched herself at her closet, all fatigue vanishing."

Naruto rang the doorbell with no small amount of apprehension. _Damn, this is gonna be awkward as hell._

He heard a muffled, "Coming!" from inside, followed almost immediately by the door being opened. Out of the portal emerged Sakura, resplendent in a pale pink kimono which accentuated her hair and eyes beautifully.

"Hi Naruto-kun! So where are we going?" Sakura said happily as she took his arm.

Naruto smiled. Getting the night's reservations had been a pain. "We'll be heading to a small place on the other side of this district. C'mon!" And he led her away.

When Sakura realized where they were going, she stopped Naruto with her other hand. "Oh Naruto-kun, you didn't!"

They had stopped in front of a small hut, but inside was one of the greatest chefs in the world.

Sakura turned to Naruto, eyes shining. "Naruto-kun, how did you know!" She said as she hugged Naruto tightly.

Naruto gulped at the sudden feeling that his body was sending him. "Uh… I asked your mom what your favorite food was. She basically said 'take her to this place', so I snagged a reservation!"

Sakura pulled away, blushing. "Thank you! Thank you so much! C'mon, let's go in!"

She grabbed Naruto's arm and pulled him inside.

The dinner passed for the most part in silence. Naruto made a few attempts at small talk to get a conversation going, as did Sakura, but both had their reservations. Sakura seemed tongue-tied for a change, and Naruto couldn't stop thinking about Hinata.

After the meal, Naruto paid and took Sakura and sat her down on the same bench he had visited with Hinata the previous night.

Before he could say anything however, Sakura pulled him across the bench and kissed him soundly. Before Naruto could react, she pulled away and stared into his eyes, Shirugan-silver shining.

"Ummmm… Sakura-chan, why did you kiss me?" Naruto asked, afraid of her answer.

Sakura smiled sadly. "Because you love Hinata-chan. At least, you do but you don't know it yet. She confessed to you last night, didn't she?"

Naruto nodded dumbly, fully aware that Sakura was in complete control of the situation.

Sakura nodded at his answer. "Well, I knew that I had no chance, so I kissed you for the first and last time. Maybe if I ever have kids I'll tell them how I kissed our esteemed Hokage, back when he was a stupid teenage guy, but for now…" She trailed off sadly.

Naruto smiled suddenly. "You can never have too many good friends, Sakura-chan."

Sakura nodded, but smiled in return. "I don't know Naruto… a few years ago I was like your big sister, always telling you what do and bonking you when you were stupid. Now, it's like a total role reversal. You're so wise and experienced and mature now, I kind of think of you like my big brother when we train. And I've never had any siblings…"

Naruto was struck at this point by the realization that he had all the family he would ever need here in Konoha. Jiraiya was like his father, even moreso since Jiraiya trained Naruto's real father. Sakura could be his sister, and…

"You're right, Sakura…nee-chan!" Naruto yelled happily. "Alright, I have a sister!"

Sakura laughed and hugged him. "The night is still young, but I'm really tired. Why don't you go visit Hinata?"

Naruto laughed. "Sorry; I'll go easy on you guys tomorrow! Thanks, Sakura-nee-chan."

Sakura smiled. "Just don't stay up too late!" She yelled as Naruto ran away. She was blown a raspberry in return.

"Baka…" she said happily as she walked for home, trying to ignore the feeling of loneliness that threatened to envelope her.

* * *

And so another chapter ends. As always your reviews and comments are greatly appreciated. 

I won't update until next week thanks to semester exams, so hang in there until then! Hope you enjoy reading!


	16. Business as Usual?

Aiya! This chapter is so short!

But its all I have time for. College is a major pain in the butt! (And here I am, thinking that the application process ends when the apps get sent... HA!)

However, I hope this chapter is enjoyable. Once again, it is somewhat short and mostly an interlude, but that means the next chapter will be hu-massive!

Enjoy reading!

* * *

Chapter 15 - Business as Usual?

Naruto approached the Hyuuga compound with more than a little apprehension. However confidant he felt in dealing with any attack upon his person, he feared the prospect of being forced to fight a Hyuuga, risking the wrath of his only Hyuuga ally, Hinata's father Hiashi.

However, those fears were banished when he spotted a light suddenly flicker on the second floor window facing him. He watched as a slender form approached the curtains and pulled them apart, revealing Hinata. She smiled at Naruto, motioning him to come up.

Naruto blushed. Banishing all perverted thoughts from his mind with a curse against a certain toad hermit, he leapt up to the window.

"Hiya, Hinata-ch-OOF!" Naruto exclaimed as he slammed into the still closed window. Hinata gasped and ran to the window, throwing it open. Hinata reached out and grabbed a fistful of Naruto's white shirt and yanked him in. This resulted in the blonde shinobi's weight forcing Hinata backwards, so that she landed on her back on her bed in an unceremonious lump, Naruto face-down on top of her.

When Naruto regained his senses, he immediately realized rather poignantly what position he was in. Meeting Hinata's eyes, he saw excitement replaced by insurmountable embarrassment. With a helpless chuckle he propped himself up, careful not to violate his girlfriend of one day.

"So how's that for a hello?" Naruto laughed, trying to ease the tension. To his relief, Hinata laughed.

"Sorry about the window, Naruto-kun. And thanks to that, someone will be coming to check on me now. So…" And Hinata leapt over and kissed Naruto fiercely. Shocked, the heir to the Uzumaki returned it until this time Hinata pulled away.

"We really need to have another date, Naruto-kun. But run! If anyone sees you, who knows what could happen?"

Naruto nodded and leapt back to the window. "See you tomorrow, Hinata-chan!" And he leapt away.

Just as he did, Hiashi burst into the room.

"Hinata, is everything alright? I heard a pretty loud crash."

Hinata smiled. "It's nothing, Otou-san. I just knocked over my lamp; I must be getting tired."

Hiashi smiled. "Get some rest. Sometimes I think you and your team work _too_ hard. Good night, Hinata."

Hinata smiled, and whooshed a sigh of relief after her father left.

* * *

Meanwhile, Naruto had already made it back to his room, intent on unraveling the powers of his new Shirugan. He practically ran to his room, ripping open the box and pulling out the Shirugan scroll. Eagerly, he picked up where he left off.

The scroll described how sometimes the Shirugan would perform differently for every user, but the basic abilities were the same. Greatly enhanced vision, the ability to track and predict movement. However, when Naruto read further, there was one final ability. It read:

_Above all the Shirugan's powers is its ability to identify, memorize, write, and activate kanji seals. This ability is what enabled the Uzumaki to become the strongest clan in Konoha, for once an Uzumaki sees a seal and analyzes it with the Shirugan, the knowledge of that seal is instantly stored in a special lobe in the brain created by the DNA also responsible for the Shirugan. These seals can then be scribed onto any material. The most noted inscription of a seal is the creation of Uzumaki Arashi's Hiraishin no Jutsu. With this ability, the Uzumaki have become known as the creators of dozens of seals._

And the scroll went on, detailing the process by which seals were memorized, how they could be scribed. Suddenly, Naruto felt a presence in his mind, as if on cue.

_**You know, I think my presence here has granted you far more abilities than the scroll describes.**_

_I agree, _Naruto "thought" to Kyuubi. _It seems as though you have enabled me to memorize not just kanji seals, but regular hand seals and other techniques, just like-_

**_-the Sharingan. _**Finished Kyuubi. **_But I have no idea how far that ability goes with you. Nevertheless, I wonder what your kanji ability can do, now that I'm here?_**

Naruto smiled as the Kyuubi retreated into his eternal vigilance. Ever since his assimilation of the Kyuubi's chakra, the demon lord had become much more… docile. Even helpful at times.

_Like now!_ Thought Naruto excitedly as he scanned the scroll, seeking an example of a kanji he could test.

"AHA!" He shouted triumphantly. He found a kanji which, according to the scroll, would create an explosion. The seal could be modified to be set off by an enemy ninja, by the inscriber, or just to explode the minute it was written.

"Unbelievable," muttered Naruto as he turned his Shirugan to the kanji. Immediately, Naruto realized that he had memorized all that the scroll had just read, just be looking at the seal. He ran over to the nearest window in his room, searching for a test target. He decided that the middle of the road would suffice.

Naruto recalled the image of the kanji and held it in his mind. He tried to project it onto the street, and saw that a little seal had appeared. Satisfied, Naruto released the kanji in his mind.

KA-BOOOOOOOM! Went the newly inscribed seal as it detonated, no longer confined by Naruto's eyes. The explosion wasn't too big, but it was loud. Naruto immediately ducked into his room and turned out the light. With delight he realized that he could see just as well.

Naruto became aware of several chakra signatures emerging into his perception. Puzzled, he swung his head and almost jumped when he realized he was looking _through_ his house and out onto the street where several residents of Konoha were looking curiously at the small crater Naruto had made. He watched as they shook their heads and walked away; Naruto swore he saw one mouth 'exploding tag…'.

Naruto waited until he was sure they had resumed their slumber, then ran to the window and inscribed the seal again into the street, this time attempting to set it so that it would detonate on his command, not just when he wrote it. When he released the seal, he saw that it glowed once, then faded to black. Flushed with success, Naruto tried to "touch" the seal without activating it, and once again saw the seal in his mind. Remembering what Kyuubi said, he examined the seal, trying to note and peculiarities. With a thought, he tried to push more chakra into the seal, something the scroll said couldn't be done; if one wanted to magnify the blast of the kanji, it had to be written a certain way. However, Naruto was able to store chakra in the seal successfully.

_It'll blow up the block if I set it off by accident!_ Naruto thought frantically. _The opposite better work!_

So he tried to pull chakra from the seal. He noticed that his body was absorbing the chakra, assimilating it with his own system in a manner not unlike the Kyuubi's. Naruto continued to abosorb the chakra until there was none left. When that happened, the seal made a little poof of air and vanished.

Naruto whooped. He thought about where he could possibly find out more seals to analyze, then remembered that his new home was supposed to be a clan house. He had already noticed a training room; surely a clan known for its seals would have a library?

* * *

It took Naruto a half-hour, but he eventually entered a room with a twenty-foot high ceiling, containing bookshelves reaching that high, all packed with books. Naruto looked around, Shirugan settling on the biggest book, a thick red one with gold writing. Naruto ran over to it and read: _The Seals of the Uzumaki._

Naruto took it and sat down on a chair, dazed. First, he discovered his love for Hinata-chan. During the same night, he activated his bloodlimit, and now…

"Kami-sama, this better not be some sort of joke," Naruto muttered, flipping open the book. It was written in a very peculiar manner: every page contained nothing but a kanji seal, so that only an Uzumaki or a master of kanji lore would be able to comprehend anything. Naruto stared at the first seal, one of warning the inscriber of an intruder, and analyzed it quickly. _The alarm seal!_ Naruto dubbed it, moving on to the next.

When sunlight began streaming through the window, Naruto had just analyzed the last seal in the book. Having just acquired about one hundred seals and a massive headache, Naruto felt complete, yet strangely in pain at the same time. He staggered off to the bathroom.

* * *

Hinata, Sakura, and Lee met at the training ground, surprised to see that Naruto was sitting against a tree, sleeping, Makai sheathed and laying across his lap. One crystal blue eye opened at their approach, and all three of Naruto's teammates were amazed that immediately the eye turned all blue and silver, meaning Naruto activated the Shirugan that quickly.

"Okay, its business as usual today!" Naruto exclaimed as he ran towards his teammates.

"Otouto, why were you sleeping there?" Sakura asked, causing Hinata and Lee to start at Sakura calling Naruto, "brother."

"Heheheh… well, I was kinda up late. Here, I'll show you what I was doing!" And Naruto stepped away from his team and gazed out towards the training field. Suddenly, a huge explosion rocked the ground, forcing them to use chakra to stay on their feet.

Naruto had used the katon explosion, forcing extra chakra into the kanji he inscribed in midair, something he had never tried before. He turned to his teammates. "Cool, huh?"

Hinata reacted first by leaning over and pecking Naruto on the cheek. "The Shirugan?"

Naruto nodded. "I know a little more than a hundred kanji seals now, so I'll try to incorporate them into the training. So for now…"

* * *

The rest of the week passed as such. Every morning Naruto would wake up and proceed to the training ground to practice with Makai in his new Shien form until his teammates showed up. Hinata would greet him with a kiss, and they would proceed with their team training. Their coordination improved in leaps and bounds, which pleased Naruto greatly.

Naruto was also perfectly happy in his relationship with Hinata. The formerly shy genin had bee replaced with a confidant kunoichi with incredible strength. Naruto was pleasantly surprised by her wit and her personality quirks, all of which Naruto found adorable. He felt sure that he knew that he loved Hinata more than all his other precious people, and told her this frequently. Her beautiful pearl eyes would shine, and she would tackle him in a hug.

Naruto's Shirugan also increased in power. He was able to keep it active all the time, and his speed at writing kanji greatly increased. He began to experiment with his father's Hiraishin no jutsu, frustrated at the fact that it required the use of an inscribed kanji. Naruto sought to find a way through which he could instantaneously use the jutsu to appear anywhere he wanted to just as quickly, though he had no results by the time the day of their departure arrived.

_The mission, _Naruto thought as he shouldered his pack and left his home to meet his team outside the gates of Konoha. _This mission will decide everything…_.

Itachi stared at the team of ninja that assembled outside Konoha. He nodded once to himself when he confirmed it was Naruto and his squad, then disappeared before the Shirugan or the Byakugan could detect him.

_This mission will decide everything…_ Itachi thought as he flew through the trees to reunite with Kisame.

Sasuke glanced back at Oto Village, then reset his stare towards where he knew Konoha was. He sighed once, then began to leap through the air towards his target.

"This mission will decide… everything." Sasuke muttered, trying to figure out why he sounded like a broken record.

* * *

Haha! Bad jokes!

R&R, my friends, though I'm probably inviting "Why's this chapter so short!?" messages. Oh well. I hope y'all enjoyed it; stay in touch, there's much more to come!


	17. Blast from the Past

YEEEEEEE-HEY! I'm back, and with a nice, normal-sized chapter at that! YATTA!

And now, for the first time... author's notes!

To my reviewers:

**DuskW** - Thanks for your review! I was kinda in a slump, but your review really made me get off my lazy ass and write!

**Jester12** - I already replied to you, but again: you are right. For the others who noticed, some of Naruto's Shirugan abilities are inspired by a story named 'The Person I Admire'. Excellent fic. Your comments were very helpful and I thank you! bows

**DragonMan180** - Interesting idea, but remember Naruto didn't have his Shirugan! That's a good trick though... hmmmmm...

**Static44 and Sealdfox** - As always, your input is greatly appreciated! Thank you for taking the time to review in-depth and provide contructive advice for a novice writer.

And a hearty thank you to the rest of you whom I owe a thank you to! Y'all make me want to keep on writing!

Onwards!

* * *

Chapter 16 - Blast from the Past

WHOOSH! Ka-BOOOM! ZING!

THUNK! FOOOM! BLAM!

SHA-SHA! POW! SSSSSHHHHHH!

Explosions of noise, shrapnel, and fire peppered Naruto like mortar shells as he raced through the forest. Something alerted his senses, and he held up his right hand, making a funny sign.

Hinata, Lee, and Sakura perceived the motion and leapt into the trees, zigzagging through the branches as kunai began to whistle through the air.

"Kuso!" Naruto yelled as he failed to dodge all of them, resulting in a flesh wound for his shoulder. Sakura leapt down and healed him, jumping away as another set of kunai whizzed by.

Naruto jumped as well after another minute of running, dodging exploding tags eager to deny him his next breath.

_Naruto, Hinata, Sakura, and Lee ran along the forest path at a measured pace until the first trap went off. Naruto and Hinata barely yelled out a warning to Sakura and Lee before a massive explosion went off. Naruto immediately signaled evasive maneuvers, and since then they had dodged trap after trap, sustaining no injury that Sakura and Hinata couldn't take care of. Naruto wondered just who was trying to kill them so badly; he suspected it was simply Oto scouts who had decided they were straying too close to Orochimaru's lair._

He was brought out of his musings by a cry from his girlfriend. He glanced sideways at her as she focused ahead with her Byakugan's superior range. He watched as, somehow, Hinata went paler.

"Hinata-chan, what do you see?" Naruto yelled.

"A tall man wearing white robes! He has no forehead protector visible! He is laughing… he sees me! He sees us! He has the Byakugan, I can see it clearly!" Hinata called out.

Naruto frowned. The Hyuuga were Konoha ninja; it didn't add up that they would attack his entire team just to assassinate one Uzumaki.

**_Then again,_** Kyuubi spoke, **_how many Konoha ninja do you know that would assassinate an entire clan?_**

Naruto was about to offer a scathing reply when he realized who Kyuubi was referring to.

_Hyuuga Kasari!_

_**The one and only. I suggest you warn the others, kit, because if he's survived this long its not because he's been running away. He's been waiting for this moment for a long time, and now he's going to try and kill you.**_

Naruto nodded to himself and relayed the Kyuubi's revelations to his flying teammates.

"If he thinks he has a chance of killing you Naruto-nii-san, he's got us to deal with too!" Sakura growled as she caught and errant kunai. At that moment, the traps stopped coming and a wind blew through the clearing they had stopped in. It was perfectly circular, and now that Naruto noticed it was huge.

"This…" Lee began. "This is where you and I and Gaara fought Kimimaro, Naruto-kun!"

Naruto looked around, suddenly saddened.

"You're right Lee…"

Anything Naruto might've said afterwards was cut off as the man Hinata saw earlier jumped out of the forest to land before them. Tall and resplendent in clean white robes, he had the pale pupil-less eyes of the Hyuuga. However, somehow they reflected a manic glint.

"Ah, Uzumaki Naruto, I presume? Yes, it-"

"Yes, you do presume; too much, I think," Naruto interrupted. "Hyuuga Kasari-teme, you have exactly one minute to tell me why you have attacked my team and I. Then, I'm going to kill you for assassinating my clan, destroying my chance at having a family, and for driving my best friend into madness."

Sakura stared at Naruto. _Best friend? _She thought. _Does this mean he thinks Sasuke…kun can be saved?_

Kasari laughed, confirming Naruto's worst fears. He was completely insane, matched only in his madness by Orochimaru.

"Hahahahah! Oh, Naruto, you are so cute! And just like your father. You silly child, I set those traps because it was fun to watch you struggle through them. Sad to day, though, that you must die now; my quest to eliminate the most powerful clan in Konoha must be completed. It is a shame I am forced to kill one of my own blood, but it seems I have no choi-"

This time he was cut off by a foot, which was connected by a green spandexed leg to Lee's body. The foot was caught by Kasari inches from connecting with his own face, and he laughed.

Lee smiled. "Hyuuga-san, it seems your minute is up. I would say good-bye, but I doubt I will miss you. Die!"

But before Lee could do anything else, he was flung back towards Naruto. Lee righted himself before he hit his friends, skidding to a halt in front of Naruto, who had a strange look.

"Naruto-kun, what's-"

"I will fight him. Alone. This is my battle. And its not that I'm trying to protect you or anything," Naruto added, overriding Hinata's protest. "This is something that I need to do. Now, will the three of you activate the barrier you've been working on in secret?"

Hinata smiled and quickly kissed Naruto. "Nothing escapes you love; we'll take care of it."

"Ah, the little Shirugan user wants to fight me alone! Admirable… very admirable." Kasari said, looking up to the sky. "Hurry up; I've waited far too long for this."

Naruto smiled, and though Kasari had never known fear, he couldn't help but feel uneasy at the sheer demonic grin Naruto gave him.

"Yes, _I _have waited too long. Activate it now!"

Hinata, Sakura, and Lee, who had at this point spread out to form a triangle, slammed their hands into the ground, out of which erupted purple walls, forming a pyramid around the two combatants.

"Now, you cannot run, Kasari. Prepare to die," Naruto said lazily, forming his chakra into its demonic nature. However, he realized that he didn't feel his eyes change. Pulling Makai from its sheath, he reflected his image in it, pleased to see that his Shirugan was still blue.

Naruto whipped the blade out, point facing Kasari. He flourished it briefly, stopping as he settled into the Shien form.

"So come, murderer. Come try and murder me!" Naruto cried as he suddenly leapt forward. Kasari was shocked at the sheer speed of the Uzumaki heir, and eyed the sword with more than just apprehension. He pulled forth two kunai and used both to parry Naruto's lightning fast attack.

Kasari realized that he needed to fight farther away as Makai sheared through the first kunai and cut deeply into the second. He let go of the kunai handles and tried to jump away, but Naruto simply yanked upwards on Makai, sending the broken kunai flying upwards. As he did so he pivoted on his back foot, driving his other deep into Kasari's stomach. The force of the kick drove Kasari back a few feet, but Naruto noticed that the Hyuuga had stolen some momentum from the blow at the last minute.

"You're good, boy," Kasari remarked, spitting out some blood. "But not good enough. Come; put your toy away and face me in the ancient inter-clan tradition: taijutsu match – to the death."

Naruto frowned for a minute. "Any taijutsu? Any taijutsu at all?" He asked mock-innocently.

"Yes! Any! Now come on boy, I want to taste your blood!" Kasari growled in frustration.

Naruto looked towards Lee's corner of the barrier and winked once. Then, as Kasari settled into the Jyuuken stance of the Hyuuga, Naruto did the same.

Kasari's eyes widened. "What is this? Has that brat girlfriend of yours been teaching you Jyuuken?"

Naruto grinned mockingly. "No, you fool; _you_ are. Take a look at my eyes, pitiful man, and see why your Byakugan is no match for me!"

Kasari noticed once again how blue the boy's eyes were.

"The Shirugan! Kuso!" Kasari swore. He dashed towards Naruto, who waited patiently. For some reason, he recalled the fight between Neji and Hinata years ago during the Chuunin exam. He nodded to himself as he saw Kasari prepare for a one-two open palm thrust aimed at his heart. In an impressive display of agility, Naruto slid one leg out to the side, ducking under the first strike and catching Kasari's hand as it stopped where Naruto just was. Naruto twisted it, eliciting a gasp from Kasari, then used it to pull himself forward. He had watched Kasari's entire strike, seeing how chakra was ejected in almost a reverse spike to maximize damage.

PAFF! Went Naruto's palm on Kasari's shoulder, who was knocked back a step. He grimaced in pain, but grinned as Naruto resettled in the Shien stance, but instead of a sword the right palm was brought back to the shoulder, left palm extended.

"Goodbye, Naruto!" Kasari yelled triumphantly. "**Hakke Hyaku Nijūhachi Shō!** (Eight Trigrams One Hundred Twenty-Eight Palms!) Kasari practically closed the distance between him and Naruto in a milisecond and began striking Naruto's tenketsu.

To Kasari's absolute horror, Naruto blocked the first eight hits, then leapt away, whipping through a sequence of nine seals.

Kasari leapt forward and continued the attack, confident that no ninjutsu could save him, and annoyed that the boy had broken their agreement. However, Naruto's arms were suddenly engulfed in red chakra, chakra so thick it was blinding to Kasari's Byakugan.

He attacked anyway, but none of his remaining thrusts were able to penetrate Naruto's guard. His hands moved automatically to block every single one of Kasari's moves, guided by the demonic chakra which enveloped his arms, effortlessly defeating one of the Hyuuga's most powerful techniques.

As Kasari desperately threw the last eight strikes, the last one was caught by a strand of chakra and held. He tried to pull his arm back, but the chakra was as steel. Fearfully, he looked into Naruto's Shirugan.

Nothing. No emotion at all. Not even anger, or joy; just emptiness.

"Playtime is over," Naruto droned, and for some reason that tone scared Kasari to the core of his soul. "This is my absolute defense in the face of any taijutsu move, though I am unable to counterattack when it is active." Naruto blinked once, and the chakra went away, except for the one which held Kasari. Naruto brought his hands together in the ram seal, and before Kasari could react tentacles of red chakra exploded out of Naruto and wrapped themselves around Kasari. He struggled, but…

"It's useless. You cannot escape this chakra, surely you know this and recognize whose chakra it is."

Kasari stopped squirming and gasped. "Kyuubi! You monster-"

But before he could finish, Naruto whipped Makai out of its sheath and drove it through Kasari's chest. His words rolled back into his throat, forever unuttered as blood took their place. He coughed once, and looked into Naruto's eyes once more, somewhat relieved by the hatred he saw in them. For a moment his veil of madness lifted, and he saw what he had done in a new light, and what he truly thought.

"Naruto, this - cough - doesn't atone for anything I've done, but - cough - I'm sorry; I see now the horror I have brought upon you, and I know now that nothing I could ever do will ever atone for that, but… when I look into your eyes now, I see an infinite sadness behind your hate for me, a wound that has yet to heal. Please, for the sake of the world, do not let it fester. I will die now and I will pay for my crimes, rest assured, but Naruto - cough-cough - I hope that one day you find peace in life."

Naruto stared at Kasari, never breaking the older man's gaze until the Hyuuga closed his eyes as a tremor ran through his body. Then he was still, and Naruto pulled Makai out, wiping it on the grass before returning it to his back. He stared at the man he had just killed, thinking about what he said.

He was so enrapped in his thoughts that he leap three feat in the air when he felt a tap on his shoulder. When he realized that the barrier was down and Hinata was standing behind him, he landed and turned to face her. Wordlessly he buried his face in her hair.

Hinata 'eeped' at the sudden movement and intsinctively wrapped Naruto in a hug, whispering in his ear.

"You were wonderful, Naruto-kun," Hinata muttered. She felt Naruto smile. He pulled away, wiping his eyes.

"Thanks, Hinata-chan," Naruto said weakly, suddenly exhausted. He nodded once to Lee, grinned apologetically at Sakura, and nodded once more to himself. "Guys, if you could give me some space?"

Puzzled, they stepped away. Sakura was not satisfied. "Naruto-nii-san, just what are you-AAH!"

Sakura jumped back even further as Naruto, who had already formed the seals, used a weak version of the Gokakyu no jutsu to cremate Kasari's body.

"I wonder… if he will find peace… like Zabuza did…" Naruto wondered aloud.

Sakura caught Naruto's musings and smiled gently. "I think he will, Naruto… I think he will."

Naruto returned her grin, then impulsively leaned over and kissed Hinata on the cheek. "Well! Now that that little detour is over, howsabout we keep on going, neh? We should be able to reach the Sound Village's borders by the end of tomorrow! C'mon!" Naruto yelled excitedly as he began to jog.

With a helpless shrug at the seemingly infinite energy of Naruto, his team fell in behind him.

"Yes! Soon, I will be able to prove that my fire of youth can match Naruto-kun's!" Lee shouted exuberantly, causing Sakura to laugh, which caused everyone to go into what is medically referred to as, "shock", or as Naruto would say, "in a state of 'What the-'"

Sakura was first and foremost among them all.

_That wasn't that funny… was it?_ Sakura thought. _Oh well. Must be late_.

* * *

Two figures emerged from the forest into the clearing that the shinobi of Konoha just passed. The taller one walked over to the charred remains of Hyuuga Kasari and sniffed experimentally. He grinned as though amused, and was joined by his shorter companion.

"Not bad," Kisame drawled. "Not bad at all, though he held back tremendously. Kasari was no match for him."

"Obviously," Itachi replied dryly.

"Ooooh!" laughed Kisame. "Was that sarcasm? A change in tone? I can't even remember that last time that happened! Hah!" Kisame laughed again, earning him a glare powerul enough to kill a small animal.

"Very amusing, you walking piece of sushi. Come nightfall we will take him. You remember your role?" Itachi asked.

Kisame nodded, and Itachi turned away as if noticing something. As he looked away he allowed himself a small smile.

_Soon…_ he thought. _Soon…_

* * *

And there you have it!

Stay tuned for more! I wish I had more to say here, but I can't think of anything! Back to writing!

Oh yeah: R&R! Please:-)


	18. How to Tell a Secret

Hello, everyone! Sorry for the delay, but y'know...real life is kinda time-consuming.

I can't wait for the new Naruto episodes! Yatta!

Here's the next chapter!

* * *

Chapter 17 – To Tell a Secret

Naruto, Hinata, Sakura, and Lee were suffering from a curious ailment. It is one that has plagued shinobi for years, and remedies for the ailment only work when used sparingly. Their "ailment" was:

"Kuso, I'm exhausted!" Yelled Naruto to no one in particular. Hinata patted his arm consolingly, though she too was extremely fatigued. Sakura stifled a yawn, and not even Lee had anything to offer about the fire of youth and his stamina.

"It was a mistake to try and come so far today," Naruto reasoned. "We'll have to set up camp here. Sakura and Lee, set a perimeter for traps and set them up. Use these," he said as he fished around in his pack, withdrawing many tags. "Set them so that they alternate red and white; one is an alarm seal, the other is a super-powered explosion seal, so make sure you set them up at least twenty meters from our sleeping bags, neh?"

Sakura stared at the tags in apprehension, while Lee simply shook his head muttering, "bloodlimits," and pulled Sakura along to set the traps.

Naruto watched them leave, then pulled out his sleeping bag from his pack. Glancing at a spot in the middle of their little clearing, he frowned for a minute, then grinned.

Hinata immediately noticed that it became warmer, and the temperature was very pleasant.

"Naruto-kun, did you make some sort of… heating seal?" Hinata asked, puzzled.

"Yeah, isn't it awesome? There was a book of seals in my clan library, and some of them were really useful!" Naruto exulted. "Now we don't have to risk a campfire. Here… dinner." He tossed his girlfriend a few strips of jerky and a bottle of water. "The Nara clan has this amazing type of beef jerky made from venison. It's really tasty and has twice the nutrients!"

As he pulled his own meal out he felt a slender form press against his back and sigh contentedly. Grinning, he turned around to embrace Hinata, who opted to capture his lips instead. They stood like that for a few minutes until…

"Y'know Naruto, if you wanted some private time, all you had to do was ask! And why is it so warm? This is nice!" Sakura stated matter-of-factly.

Naruto smiled cheekily while Hinata blushed. "Neh, Hinata-chan and I were setting up camp! She just took advantage of the situation, just we were trained, right! And the warm is from a seal I inscribed, so no campfire. Here's dinner!"

Sakura caught the jerky and took a few nibbles. "Mmmmm…" She hummed as she chewed.

* * *

Itachi and Kisame stood together on a tree limb thirty meters away from the Konoha Shinobi, Itachi watching patiently while Kisame resisted the urge to give something a shave.

Suddenly Itachi relaxed. To anyone but Kisame, it would have been undetectable, but to Kisame it was as if Itachi pulled out an exploding tag and lit it.

"It's time, then?" Kisame asked hopefully.

Itachi nodded. "Move in quietly; they're exhausted, and we may be able to keep the element of surprise.

Kisame scowled. "Itachi, they're a bunch of sixteen-year-old jounin-"

"And I was ANBU captain at thirteen. Do _not_ underestimate them Kisame, or you won't live to see the end of this," Itachi said, glaring.

Kisame shrugged and leapt to the ground where he began to encroach the encampment. Itachi shook his head and followed suit.

Then came the point where Kisame took a step and something white flashed to his left. He spared it a glance, then dismissed it.

Itachi, however, watched as the charka flare dissipated, wondering what it was intended to do. _Obviously an alarm,_ he thought, _but this is Naruto-kun we're talking about here._

As if on cue, Kisame was suddenly caught in an explosion fifteen meters across. As he jumped away from the blast, six more erupted, and then a chain of them went off around the camp, forming a circle of fire behind them.

Itachi cursed.

"Kisame…" he began, then shook his head once more. "No. They obviously are awake and know that we are here. We must proceed. You know our mission: do not kill anyone of them. If we do, it could jeopardize our success."

Kisame sighed. "Why can't we, Itachi? What's the point?"

Itachi just smiled, and Kisame had to turn away to hide his unadulterated fear. As one they suddenly sprinted towards the camp, only to encounter a scene that was downright hilarious.

Sakura and Hinata were still fast asleep, Lee was running around the camp trying to see where the intruders were, and Naruto was just waking up.

Itachi paled. "Well, I _thought_ they were jounin. Incapacitate them all."

Kisame grinned. "The fun part."

He leapt towards the running Lee, bringing his sword around in an diagonal cut, when there was another explosion, this time in the middle of the camp. The flash blinded Kisame, and he jumped back unable to sense anything.

Itachi frowned. _Bunshins?_ He thought. _Or… an illusion_!

He brought his hands together. "Kai!" He said forcefully, and immediately the scene changed. The clearing was empty and devoid of all signs of inhabitance save for the four ninja standing before them. One pink-haired kunoichi, one green-spandex-clad taijutsu specialist, a pale girl possessed of the Byakugan, and in the middle…

Itachi stared into the black-clad blonde's eyes, blood-red Sharingan meeting steel-blue Shirugan.

Two Shirugan widened. "You! It's you! No wonder Sakura-chan's genjutsu was dispelled so easily! You're Uchiha Itachi! And the walking sushi!"

Sakura stifled a giggle. Despite the fact that they were confronted by two S-class missing nins, she couldn't help but laugh at her chosen brother's treatment of two of the most powerful ninja in the world.

_Well, _she reasoned in her mind, _Itachi IS innocent. I wonder what Naruto wants us to do?_

"Sakura and Lee, you two will take Kisame. Hinata and I will handle Itachi," Naruto stated confidently. His voice carried all around them, causing Itachi to wince.

"Kai!" he shouted, and once more he felt a genjutsu dispel, though the scene didn't change.

Naruto (for his Sharingan saw that it was him) grinned. "And now you know just how powerful we are. That genjutsu was Sakura's idea. Everyone always goes on about, 'Oooh, a trap within a trap!' So she thought, why not a genjutsu within a genjutsu?"

Itachi nodded. "It is truly ingenious; the Haruno clan has always had a knack for genjutsu and precise charka control. Well done, Sakura."

Sakura stuttered. "Ummmm… thanks! I think…"

Naruto narrowed his silvery orbs. "So why the small talk, Itachi-san? I can see quite clearly that the two ninja in front of me are the real deals, so… why are you here? If you have any sort of decent intelligence, you know that the Kyuubi can no longer be extracted."

Itachi nodded. "This is known to Akatsuki. However…" He trailed off. He turned to face Kisame and tapped him on the shoulder.

"What?" Kisame howled as he turned to face Itachi.

Itachi's Sharingan met Kisame's eyes. The stare was held for five seconds, then Itachi caught Kisame as he slumped to the ground.

Naruto's eyes widened. "What did you do to him? The Mangekyou?"

Itachi nodded. "I fed him sleeping pills for hours. He won't wake up for a few days, but when he does it will be with no side effects. He will also probably remember what I did; he may attack me, but I can handle him." He sagged for a moment.

"Dispelling those genjutsu took more out of me than I thought," Itachi mentioned.

"You still haven't explained why you're here. Are you gonna knock someone else out if I ask again?" Naruto demanded, settling into a battle stance.

"I am here because I have a proposal, Uzumaki Naruto, so you can dispel your shadow clone army," Itachi said coldly. "I do not like being threatened.:

Naruto paled, then reassumed his fox-like grin. "Well played, Itachi-san. They're gone, now. What could you want, or need?"

Itachi smiled with relief, and though it was odd coming from the rock-hard face of the Sharingan wielder, it was oddly comforting. "Since you have activated your Shirugan, you must have the box; thus, you know of the conspiracy the Hyuuga and the Uchiha entered into against the Uzumaki. This conspiracy was started by the Akatsuki leader in an effort to destroy Konoha's most powerful clans to remove their threat when the next war is instigated."

Naruto's eyes widened. "So _that's_ what Akatsuki wants with the bijuu! They want the power to control a war! Why?"

"Because that's all anyone in Akatsuki wants: power and control," Itachi spat out.

"You're a member of Akatsuki," Sakura pointed out. "Unless you joined because of the pretext with which you approached your father about the conspiracy."

Itachi nodded. "You _are_ smart. It is a good thing I was not forced to incapacitate you all, because I don't think I would've been able to without bloodshed."

"You got that right!" Lee exclaimed, immediately shrinking as Naruto shot him a death glare.

"We all know the truth of what happened those years ago, Itachi. We were on our way to find Sasuke and try to make him see reason. Also, I think I can completely remove the curse-seal from him, but that would paint a target on me as Orochimaru's next container," Naruto explained. "I'm not sure how to proceed now that you're here though."

Itachi nodded, contemplating all that he knew. "Yes. Your awakening, so to speak, brings my action in this conspiracy to full circle. And so…"

Itachi looked pointedly at Kisame's slumbering form, then back at Naruto with the same piercing stare. Naruto matched Itachi's eyes, then started.

"What? No way, are you kidding? There's no way I'm just gonna kill him like that!" Naruto yelled suddenly, causing Sakura and Hinata to cringe and Lee to settle halfway into a Gouken stance.

Itachi just glared harder. "You will, because you must. Akatsuki must be destroyed, Naruto. Surely you know this?"

Naruto nodded furiously, then shook his head just as hard. Hinata feared for her love's brain.

"Of course I do, but that's not the point! Why can't we just wait for him to wake up, and then I'll beat him up, huh?" Naruto protested, a pleading note entering his tone.

It hit Hinata suddenly. _He doesn't want to kill! Not in cold blood!_

Itachi sighed, having come to the same conclusion. "Naruto, you have grown tremendously in the past few years, but you still have so much farther to go. Sometimes we have to do things we aren't proud of, and we simply have no choice but to do what is necessary and accept the consequences. This is one of those times. I could kill him myself, but it is better if you do it."

Itachi's eyes narrowed. "This won't be the last time you have to do something like this Naruto. When you chose to keep your emotions as a shinobi, this was the price, and now it must be paid. Kill him now!" He finished suddenly, Sharingan blazing.

Naruto hung his head, but when he raised it his Shirugan blazed briefly, settling back into its usual silver glow. He choked, "It's done. I used the Uzumaki seal of life on him, only to be used when there is no other course of action possible. It destroys his chakra circulatory system and makes revival impossible. You can check if you want, Itachi; it's not a near-death state."

Itachi nodded. "You did well, Naruto." Itachi shot the corpse of the mist-nin with his black fire, nodding as the body disappeared without a trace. "We'll make camp here then. Hinata?"

"Yes, Itachi-san?" she replied automatically, still slightly overwhelmed.

"Can you prepare some food from my pack? Kisame was the far better cook than I; I could burn a salad!" Hinata giggled and went to retrieve Itachi's pack, following his pointed finger.

"Sakura and Lee, could you go set some new traps where I entered? I'm afraid Kisame and I set off all of Naruto's seals in that area."

"Shouldn't Naruto do that? He's got the Shirugan!" Sakura exclaimed. "He'll do a much better job!"

Itachi grinned. "Nah, you two will do fine. Besides, I need to talk to Naruto for a moment."

Surprisingly, it was Lee who nodded in understanding and dragged a still-protesting Sakura into the woods.

Itachi turned to Naruto once more.

"Naruto, do you think you can remove the curse seal from Sasuke-nii-san?" Itachi blurted out rather uncharacteristically.

Naruto, taken aback, nodded. Itachi grinned once more.

"Okay, here's how this is gonna work…"

* * *

Sakura leaned over one tree root to set a few wires in the way Shikamaru once taught her. Lee caught himself staring and sighed, returning his attention to the paper bombs he was setting.

"That looks good, Lee-san! I don't even think Naruto could avoid that pattern!" Sakura explaimed. Lee accepted the praise with a gracious nod.

"That is everything, Sakura-chan. Let us return to camp-"

"Lee," Sakura stated hesitantly.

"Yes, Sakura-chan?" Lee asked, trying to peer into Sakura's eyes.

She shook herself. "Never… never mind, it can wait. Besides, we need food!" she finished.

Lee watched her for a minute before following.

_Could it be? Could she be falling for… no. I mustn't get my hopes up. Still…_

Lee's thoughts were interrupted by a most exquisite smell. It wafted into his nose and made his mouth water. He stretched onto his toes and took a Herculean sniff, almost passing out from the sheer pleasure of the smell.

"Oy, Fuzzy-brows! Dinner is served! In style!" Naruto shouted. Lee ran over to find Itachi and Naruto sitting next to each other around a real fire, bowls in hand. Sakura sat across from Itachi, looking caught between intimidation and hunger. Lee took a seat next to Itachi and Sakura. Hinata came over and handed Lee a bowl, cradling her own as she sat next to Naruto and leaned into him slightly. Naruto smiled and kissed the top of her head before turning to his stew.

Lee sniffed the bowl experimentally, detected the same amazing aroma. It looked a simple beef broth, but when he brought his wooden spoon out from the stew – for that was what Hinata had concocted – bits of food which turned out to be beef and pepper.

"Do you like it, Lee-san?" Hinata asked hopefully.

Lee stared at her. "Are you kidding?" he asked incredulously.

Hinata's face fell.

"This is INCREDIBLE! IT CAUSES THE FIRE OF YOUTH TO REKINDLE WITHIN ME STRONGER THAN EVER! I-"

Lee was quieted immediately by the look on Itachi's face.

"Lee, if this stew wasn't so good you'd have it all over you. And there'd be a kunai hidden in it," he growled. "Understand?"

Lee nodded. He remembered not to push their new ally to far in the future.

Naruto stared around the campfire at his teammates and at his new friend, though the idea was still foreign to him. He remembered the plan Itachi outlined to him.

"Yatta," he whispered, so quietly that not even Hinata heard.

_We're coming for you, Sasuke._

* * *

Well, that's that!

R&R, and I hope you all hang in there for the next one! More and more actiony-romancy goodness!


	19. The Hammer Falls

And here's... SUPER CHAPTER! BOO-YAH!

Sorry for the wait everybody; I've been swamped with schoolwork, bands and choirs, and large quantities of spam!

Damn, but it's been WAY too long. Without any further ramblings except for an apology for the delay, here's the next chapter!

* * *

Chapter 20 – And the Hammer Falls

Uchiha Sasuke stood calmly in the midst of a forest, looking out at the entrance to his sensei's lair, waiting.

Advancve Sound scouts had warned him that a group of ninja were heading towards the compound. Their identities were unknown, however; the scouts had detected two massive chakra signatures and had fled before they were discovered. The ninja were less than half a day away.

But Sasuke didn't need that information. He knew that Konoha would only send a few people out to Oto country; only a few were qualified.

_Dobe,_ he thought. _They'll have sent the dobe and that pathetic excuse for a kunoichi Sakura. But who are the others?_

Sasuke shrugged. It didn't matter. They would all die.

* * *

Naruto, Itachi, and the rest of the team regrouped in a clearing. Naruto brushed past Itachi on his way to Hinata.

"Did you send the message to Akatsuki?" Naruto whispered.

Itachi nodded. "They will arrive at the compound soon after we do. They were greatly interested to hear the location of Orochimaru's lair."

Naruto nodded in return, having nothing less to say.

Hinata drew herself up straight as Naruto approached her by the edge of the clearing. He walked calmly towards her and right into her, enveloping her in a bear hug over her surprised eep.

"Hinata-chan, there's something I need to say," Naruto mumbled as he pulled away slightly so that their foreheads touched.

Hinata looked into his Shirugan, losing herself in their cerulean depths. "Naruto-kun, if this is about going on alone with Itachi-san…"

Naruto laughed softly. "I wouldn't dream of leaving you three behind; I don't trust anyone more with my sorry butt!"

Hinata giggled sweetly, stopping as Naruto sobered.

"Hinata-chan, there's a good chance that you or I may not survive this battle. Don't tell Sakura or Lee, but I had Itachi contact Akatsuki. They're sending a pair to "assist" Itachi in the "assassination" of Orochimaru. While Orochi-teme is occupied with them, we will engage Sasuke. Hopefully we'll be able to get his attention away from Itachi, and I think I know just the way."

Hinata stared at Naruto-kun, who looked as if he expected to be slapped.

Instead, Hinata grabbed a fistful of blonde hair and pulled. Naruto found himself being dealt a kiss that would have scorched him to the ground had he not half-expected such a reaction from the Hyuuga of his dreams. He returned the kiss, deepening it, causing him to feel the heat of Hinata's blush.

When Hinata pulled away, Naruto grumbled softly, causing Hinata to giggle again.

"Naruto-kun, I don't think anyone is going to die. We have you!" Hinata said encouragingly. "We trust you, Naruto-kun. _I_ trust you. What needs to happen now is _you _need to trust you. Remember what I told you before the Chuunin exams?

"_That's not true!" Hinata exclaimed, shocking herself with her initiative._

_Naruto was rocked back on his heels as his jaw dropped slightly._

"_I think you are a proud man who makes mistakes. But you learn from them! I think this makes you truly strong!"_

_Hinata retreated behind a wooden post. "At least… that's what I think."_

Naruto did remember. He smiled suddenly, and Hinata almost fainted from the affection that came from it.

"Arigato, Hinata-chan. Let's go," Naruto murmured, taking her hand in his and leading her back to the camp.

Sakura and Lee looked at them expectantly. Naruto grinned.

"Let's get wild. Follow my lead; box formation, Sakura and I leading."

Lee and Sakura yelped, though Lee beat Sakura to voicing a coherent protest.

"Naruto-kun, usually I lead with you! Are you sure Sakura will be able to keep up?" Lee wondered aloud.

Sakura became very serious. "Lee-kun, Sasuke is waiting up ahead. The apprentices of the Legendary Sannin must meet in battle for the first and last time. You and Hinata must engage the Oto ninja that Orochimaru will most likely send to back Sasuke up. Itachi will most likely handle Orochimaru if he decides to make an appearance. Am I right, Naruto-ni-san?"

Naruto nodded. "As perceptive as ever. Sorry Lee, but this is something that Sakura and I need to settle with Sasuke alone."

Hinata squeezed Naruto's hand in response.

Naruto nodded to himself, then handed each of his teammates a strange seal. "Here: place this on your clothing somewhere. If you need assistance during the fight, gather some chakra to your finger and tap it; help will come."

Naruto looked strangely excited as they stuck the seals to their shoulders. _Finally…let's see if I can truly surpass my father._

Suddenly, Itachi stiffened as the ring on his hand glowed briefly, then faded.

"It's time," he shouted to Naruto and his team. "Deidara and Sasori are close; we need to begin our assault!" His hands blurred in the seals for which Sakura recognized as a powerful genjutsu and suddenly, and instead of Itachi Hatake Kakashi now stood before them.

Naruto gave the thumbs-up to his team, and winked at Hinata. They all shared one last smile, and leapt away after Itachi.

Almost immediately they found themselves outside a small door built into a small hill, around which the trees did not grow. Naruto frowned at the emptiness, then his eyes widened.

"DOWN!" he shouted, spinning around and drawing Makai at the same time.

Itachi did not drop, but instead caught every single one of the kunai that was thrown at him. Naruto quickly assumed his swords-stance and danced about, slicing at the kunai. When the flurry stopped, pieces of the daggers littered the ground at Naruto's feet, while Itachi held the kunai in each hand, ready to return them.

Naruto smiled softly. "And so it begins…" he muttered, motioning for Sakura to rise.

"Come on out Sasuke-teme! Let's see how the Uchiha brat has changed over the years!" Naruto called out in the most sarcastic voice Sakura had ever heard.

Then, she gasped. Sasuke suddenly stood before them, meeting Naruto's gaze eye-to-eye.

He had grown, as evidenced that he could look at Naruto levelly. His white gi was parted slightly, revealing a well-toned chest. His black pants extended to his ankles; a purple rope-sash secured a sword to his waist. His black hair had been cut to the length it was before the chuunin exams, with a bit pulled up in the back like a half-assed ponytail.

"Dobe… Sakura… Kakashi…" he began, only to trail off. "This is certainly a surprise…"

"Whatever, Sasuke-teme!" Naruto exploded. "I saw you watching us half a mile back; don't try to act all superior again like you used to, because you're _so_ much better than we are! You so full of it I'm not even gonna bother trying to beat it out of you this time!"

Sasuke gave no indication that he had even heard Naruto's rant. Instead he stared deeper into Naruto's silvery-blue orbs.

_Those eyes… those aren't his eyes… are they a doujutsu?_

"Those eyes are different since the last time I saw them, dobe," Sasuke stated monotonously. "Where'd you get them?"

Naruto grimaced. "It is called the Shirugan; would you like me to warn you what it can do, or shall I demonstrate?"

Sasuke returned Naruto's twisted smile with a smirk of his own. "No doubt whatever bloodline you've activated is a result of the Kyuubi…" At this, Naruto's team gasped, but Naruto showed no reaction at all. "But it cannot compare to the power of the Sharin-"

"Oh yes it can," Naruto interrupted. "In fact, Sasuke-teme, you'd be surprised at what you would have learned had you stayed in Konoha. Did you know that there were once three noble clans of Konoha who defended the village? Did you know that the Uzumakis were the most powerful of those clans? Did you know that I'm the son of the Yondaime Hokage, Uzumaki Arashi?"

For the first time in the taunting, Sasuke looked shocked; however, it was immediately buried under his stoic façade. "No, I didn't. You being the son of the Hokage? That makes sense, with your hair. You having a kekkei genkai? That also kind of makes sense."

Then Sasuke smirked again. "But associated power and strength with your name? That doesn't make sense at all."

Naruto grinned. "You still haven't answered my question, _dobe_." Naruto said mockingly. "Would you like to see a demonstration?"

Sasuke shrugged. "I suppose I'll get the chance eventually, so no."

Then Sasuke seemed to remember something. "I thought your dream was to become Hokage, dobe. If you have time to come chase me, shouldn't you be training?"

Naruto looked down. "How can I become Hokage if I can't even rescue one friend?" He whispered, wondering if Sasuke had heard him.

He had. He whipped through four seals, ending on tiger. "Katon: Gokakyou no jutsu!" He yelled. Naruto's team braced themselves, but Sasuke wasn't aiming for them. He launched the fireball into the air, where it exploded in a pretty light show.

Sasuke returned his attention to his old comrades. "That was a single. My guess is this is the part where Kakashi, the Hyuuga, and the stupid green kid go fight Orochimaru and half a village, while the dobe and the pink-haired pathetic excuse for a kunoichi try to fight me."

Naruto nodded, and Sasuke returned the nod. "Now we see which of the new Sannin are the strongest," the Uchiha remarked as he drew his katana. "This is my sword, Kusanagi."

Naruto drew his own. "This is my blade, Makai. Are you ready to go to hell, Sasuke?" Naruto asked as he settled into his Shien form.

Sasuke laughed. "If that's where I get stronger so that I may kill my brother, then so be it."

Naruto laughed as he flipped his sword behind his back. The clang of metal on metal rang out, and a kunai flipped away from his back. "Hinata-chan, Lee, Kakashi; you know what to do."

They nodded, and leapt off, but not before "Kakashi" took one last look.

_Brother…_ he thought, before he leapt away to confront the Oto ninja, scanning the horde for any sign of Orochimaru. Without a thought, he pulled out a nin-jato seemingly from nowhere and sheathed it in a chuunin eager to bring down "Copy-Ninja Kakashi". He gurgled on his own blood, and fell away.

Itachi grinned inwardly. _Time to go to work… and boy, do I love my job._

* * *

Meanwhile, Sakura watched as her former teammates went about their deadly dance of steel and death. It was as if too much enmity had passed between these two warriors, and now they felt no more than the rush of the battle they fought.

Sasuke brought Kusanagi up horizontally to deflect a thrust from Naruto, who spun away and, in a move that would have left any other swordsman weeping on the ground in awe, spun his blade in figure-eights until launching a flurry at Sasuke, who parried every blow calmly, taking one opportunity to stop the attack and counter, cold steel racing for Naruto's arm.

The blow never connected, deflected by Makai.

Sasuke nodded to Naruto. "I'm actually pleasantly surprised, Naruto, though I have no idea how you acquired this strength in Konoha."

Naruto glared. "You have no idea what true strength is, teme!" Naruto growled. "No idea at all!" He leapt at Sasuke, who disappeared.

"You abandoned us! You abandoned your friends because some snake in the grass "promised" you power! What about your _comrades!_" Naruto finished. He had started out shouting, but his last question was screamed at Sasuke.

Sasuke paused, then sheathed Kusanagi. "There was nothing more that village could teach me. Come Naruto, even you and Sakura sought training from the Legendary Sannin; why couldn't I?"

Naruto snorted. "Don't feed me the crap you've been eating for the past few years. I'm beginning to wonder if you ever saw me as a friend."

Sasuke wasn't fazed. "Of course I did. That's why it is so important to me to cut those ties."

Naruto laughed. "Whatever, Sasuke-teme! But obviously we aren't going any where with this kenjutsu thing. How about a little old-fashioned taijutsu?"

Sasuke nodded. "Agreed; I grow tired of this dance. We are shinobi; killers. Let us kill, Naruto… Sakura… if you can even keep up with the dobe."

Naruto thought for a minute, wondering why Sasuke had chosen those words in particular…

"_Yes, it is true; I do not enjoy killing." Haku stated calmly._

"_But I will kill my emotions and become a shinobi so that my master's dream may become a reality."_

Naruto was jolted from his dream by Sakura fitting her black combat gloves on. "If I can keep up with Naruto-ni-san, I'll have you out-matched."

Sasuke's sharingan narrowed, and Naruto chuckled. "C'mon teme, if I remember you were good at one vs. many taijutsu. Fighting two at once shouldn't be a problem!"

As one, Naruto and Sakura hurtled towards Sasuke, with Sakura falling slightly behind.

Sasuke leapt forward as well.

Naruto and Sasuke encountered each other with a soft pamf, each catching the other's fist in one of their own. Naruto grinned.

"And now, the fun part." Naruto remarked off-handedly, as one might say, "Nice weather!" or "I just stabbed myself in the leg!"

Sasuke glared, then jumped backwards to avoid Sakura's boot, which crashed into the ground. She pulled it out and shook off the rocks, ready to attack again.

Naruto nodded once, then twice, then once more. Sakura grinned.

They took off once again, flanking Sasuke. Naruto led with a one-two punch followed by a feinting kick, and the battle was on.

Hinata stood calmly as the Oto ninja surrounded her. One of them apparently recognized her.

"Hey look, it must be the weak little Hyuuga heiress! This is easy pickins, boys! Attack!"

The ninja ran forward, intent on overrunning the girl.

Hinata smiled softly, muttering her favorite technique under her breath.

One of the sound shinobi specialized in espionage, and heard what Hinata whispered. He stopped running to watch the spectacle.

Hinata began to move. Spinning twice, she lanced the first Oto nin in the chest twice. Without even checking if he was down for good, she spun left, dealing out a double slash to another ninja. One by one she methodically destroyed her opponents with stabs and slashes of razor-sharp chakra, always cutting near the heart thanks to the Byakugan.

Three seconds later, seven Oto chuunin and jounin lay dead around her. She assumed a simple Jyuuken stance and beckoned the one who had held back forward.

The nin stared at her in awe, then shrugged his shoulders. _I knew it would come to this when I joined up with Orochimaru-sama,_ he thought. _A coward faces death many times before he dies; the valiant die but once._

He charged the Hyuuga.

PAFF

The Hyuuga watched as the ninja who took a Jyuuken death blow to the heart crashed to the ground, a strange look of peace on his face.

Hinata nodded once in reverence to the fallen warrior, and ran off to join Lee amidst his cries of, "The fire of youth strikes you down!"

* * *

Itachi tore through his opponents quickly and methodically, sparing as little chakra as he could manage. Even with his vast experience and stamina, he would need all he could to defeat Orochimaru.

_Even though I COULD beat him, I'm not sure now; doubtless he has been increasing his strength._

He had even deactivated his Sharingan, to save any chakra he could.

Sensing a chakra behind him, he thrust his nin-jato behind him under his arm, impaling a ninja on its keen edge. Itachi grinned.

_I still got it… _he thought triumphantly, though the feeling was dimmed somewhat as he sensed two powerful chakras heading towards the fray.

_Here they come… I'll be forced to drop this illusion soon; I hope Naruto will have neutralized Sasuke-otouto by then._

Sasuke's breathing was normal, as was Naruto's, though Sakura was starting to show some signs of fatigue.

Their taijutsu match was almost as even as Naruto and Sasuke's kenjutsu, with Naruto and Sakura holding a slight edge. Despite Sakura's strength, she could keep up with Sasuke's speed as well as Naruto could. However, working together had allowed them to land some hits on Sasuke, though it looked as though they hardly affected them.

Sasuke was feeling the pressure. _Sakura will tire out soon, but will I be strong enough when she goes down to face Naruto? His power is incredible; I've never felt such chakra before, not even from Orochimaru._

He emerged from his planning to catch Sakura's foot. Not one to waste an opportunity, he slammed her into the ground and flung some kunai at critical points in her muscles. Sakura took the hits to her legs but was able to avoid the shots at her arms.

Sasuke paid for spending too much time, as Naruto's foot collided with his head. Shocked by the blonde's speed and strength, Sasuke flew away, though he righted himself in midair and landed firmly on both feet, hand dragging to stop his motion.

Naruto sent a worried glance to Sakura, who was healing her wounds. She grimaced as the last kunai wound was healed. "Here, let me patch you up," she offered to the fox-like shinobi. "That way you'll waste as little chakra as possible."

Naruto sighed and offered his wounds to Sakura, who quickly healed them. "There; now you're in top form and I'm approaching chakra depletion. Knock some sense into him, Naruto? Please don't kill him unless you have to," Sakura scolded, as sister to brother.

Naruto sighed. "Fine, but only if he wants to live." He noticed out of the corner of his eye that Hinata and Lee had finished their part in the plan and waved them over. "Lee, stand guard over Sakura. Hinata, help Sakura heal her wounds." Naruto commanded, and watched as they complied.

Naruto returned his attention to Sasuke, and Shirugan met Sharingan once more.

"Are you ready, Sasuke?" Naruto asked. "No more holding back."

Sasuke nodded. "I tire of playing with you, and I think that any techniques that you will use I'll have seen before. If I haven't, I don't think I'll be able to copy them; there's only one Kyuubi."

Naruto nodded. "One last battle."

Sakura was almost thrown backwards by the force of the chakras being gathered.

_Their chakra… it's huge! And Naruto… just how much have you been holding back?_ Sakura thought worriedly.

Naruto's features began to change as his entire chakra system was natured to its demonic form. His whisker marks elongated, and he grew claws. Remarkably, his Shirugan was unaffected.

Sasuke assumed the same form from the battle at the Valley of the End: dark skin, a black mark on his face, and two giant wings.

"That's it, Sasuke? That's the same crap from last time!" Naruto exclaimed in a joking manner.

Sasuke scowled. "It's more than enough power to deal with you, Naruto."

Naruto sighed. "Hardly." And he formed the ram seal.

Sasuke jumped back as nine tails of chakra exploded from Naruto's body. They wrapped around the blonde's body for a second, then waved around his form menacingly.

For the first time since his first encounted with Zabuza, Sasuke felt fear. Naruto grinned, and Sasuke laughed. "You have no chance, dead-last!" Sasuke howled. "I will kill you!"

Naruto grinned sadly. "I think not."

And he disappeared.

Sasuke followed suit. Sakura could only stare as small explosions erupted wherever they clashed briefly.

* * *

An Oto jounin flew at Itachi. The Uchiha calmly ducked under the thrust of a kunai and kicked sharply at his latest opponent's kneecap. The Oto ninja howled as the bone shattered, and he went down. Itachi caught his head as it passed by and quickly snapped his neck.

_And Zabuza of the Seven Swordsmen bragged about being a "silent killer"; he knew nothing of assassination._ Itachi thought smugly as he sheathed his nin-jato in yet another ninja's neck. He returned to a ready stance, wondering why no ninja was attacking. Then he saw Orochimaru come forward, as if he had been in the crowd the whole time.

"Heheheheheh… Hello Itachi-kun. Been feeling well? Are my subordinates annoying you?" the Sannin said silkily. Itachi stared at the Sannin and frowned, forming the released seal and dispelling his jutsu. Hopefully Naruto would fulfill his part in the plan and keep his brother occupied while he dealt with Orochimaru.

Itachi frowned. "As a matter of fact, yes. You haven't been training them properly, Orochimaru-san. I haven't a single scratch on me."

Orochimaru laughed. "Perhaps you are correct. Perhaps my attentions have been too focused on that one, neh?" And he pointed towards the general area where Sasuke and Naruto battled for, truth be told, Orochimaru could barely keep up with their speed without focusing all his attention on the battle.

Itachi watched as several large fireballs erupted from Sasuke's fleeting form, only to be blocked by Naruto's chakra tails. Said tails then peppered Sasuke with jabbing strikes, forcing him to retreat.

"They are impressive, Orochimaru," a voice drawled from behind Itachi. Without turning, he recognized it to be the Sannin's attendant, Kabuto. "Sasuke-kun's training is paying off, though I must admit I'm putting my money on Naruto-kun right now." As he said this, Itachi sensed a kunai being drawn. Then he sensed something else, and slowly pulled the collar of his cloak up.

Just in time, as he felt blood splatter against his now upturned collar. Itachi turned around to see Kabuto hanging limply from a blade held by a man. However, with his Sharingan Itachi was able to see that it was the puppet Sasori had named, "Father". He watched as the chakra strings tensed and Kabuto fell to the ground. As he did so, Sasori poofed into existence to stand next to Itachi.

"Hello, Itachi-san." Sasori greeted, motioning upwards with his head.. Itachi did not have to look to know that Deidara was flying about on one of his clay birds. However, Itachi was mildly surprised as Deidara's lithe form landed on the ground next to him. The blonde cursed and pulled several shuriken out of his arm.

"That hurt, Orochimaru. Your ninja will pay for that, hmph." The young Akatsuki member drawled.

Orochimaru laughed again. "Ah, such a pleasant reunion. Though I must admit it is soured by the death of my attendant. He was a good medic-nin. Do you know how hard it will be to replace him? And I thought you needed him, Sasori?" Orochimaru said mockingly, knowing full well that Sasori had used a memory erasing justu on Kabuto so he could have a spy inside Orochimaru's village.

Sasori shook his head. "Your wretched existence will end today, Orochimaru, though it pains me to destroy something so eternal."

Deidara grinned. "It doesn't pain me at all! See you in hell, Snake-man!"

Orochimaru was engulfed in a massive explosion. Similar blasts went off behind the Sannin. When the dust cleared, Orochimaru was gone and the bodies of his "subordinates" littered the battlefield. Itachi frowned.

"Sasori, if you could summon your other puppet Mother, I would greatly appreciate it." Itachi remarked offhandedly.

"Why would I do that, Itachi?" Sasori replied, though he had already pulled out an ornate scroll.

Itachi didn't reply, only jumped into the air as a huge snake erupted from the ground, jaw open wide. Deidara and Sasori leapt away likewise. The Sannin emerged from the dirt himself, chakra gathered and killer intent radiating from his person.

"He must be very confident if he is staying to fight with us, hmph," Deidara remarked to his partner.

Sasori nodded and summoned the human puppet known as Mother. He sent them towards the Sannin, who engaged them eagerly.

The fight was on.

* * *

And the fight was over… for the time being.

Sasuke panted heavily as the second level of the curse seal receded from his body.

"Damn you, Naruto!" he yelled. "Where the hell did you get such power? I can't see that demonic presence from last time, but you still have that red chakra! What the hell!"f

Naruto glared at his old teammate. "This power is mine; I've been paying for it since I was old enough to walk – **_I said I was sorry for all those years, brat! I don't even protest you using my power anymore, look! _**– and now it is mine to command. I am strong, Sasuke. We've been over this before. You lost you family, I never had one, yadda yadda yadda. GROW THE HELL UP!" Naruto screamed. "Yeah, we've suffered; GET OVER YOURSELF! THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO'VE SUFFERED EVEN MORE THAN WE HAVE** AND YOU THINK THEY HAVE THE POWER WE DO? NO! WE'RE LUCKY, YOU BASTARD, AND I'M SICK AND TIRED OF YOUR ARROGANT "I AM THE LAST UCHIHA AND THE WORLD OWES ME A FAVOR" ATTITUDE!**" Naruto finished, noticing that a demonic edge had crept into his voice. Filing it away and making a mental note to ask the fox about it later, Naruto concentrated for a moment.

"You don't know what it is to be strong, Sasuke-teme," Naruto said, the demonic taint to his voice gone. "You have no idea at all. You rejected true strength when you left Konoha."

Sasuke reeled. "The hell I did. I need power! I have to kill my brother! I MUST avenge my clan! My parents!" he yelled back.

Naruto smiled sadly, remembering once again Haku's words.

"_Do you have someone precious to you?" the girl asked quietly._

_Naruto thought for a minute, thinking of Sakura, Kakashi, even Sasuke, and Iruka-sensei._

"_Yeah, I do! I'll protect them with my life!" the blonde fox-like boy shouted triumphantly._

_The girl smiled. "Then you will become truly strong."_

_As the girl left, she tossed over her shoulder, "Oh, and by the way: I'm a boy."_

_Naruto fell over in shock._

"Sasuke, you've perverted what it means to be strong." Naruto stated calmly, chakra tails flailing about. "You're fighting for people who have passed from this world. You need to let them go and realized what you have in this world before it passes just like your clan would have done so, even without their massacre. You know, my clan was killed off too." Naruto said as if this explained everything.

Sasuke laughed. "Yet another thing that we share. The Uzumakis were clan, then?"

Despite the fact that Sasuke seemed to be thinking rationally, Naruto refused to get his hopes up… yet. He nodded. "Yeah, they were the most powerful clan in Konoha; don't listen to what the Hyuuga claim or what the Uchiha say. The Uzumaki were number one!"

Then Naruto did a complete turn-around. "That's why the Uchiha and the Hyuuga conspired to kill them all."

Sasuke's Sharingan widened. "No…" he whispered. A little voice in his head told him the demon container was lying. Sasuke went with the little voice.

"LIAR!" He yelled and hurtled himself at Naruto.

Hinata yelped, but Naruto just sighed and, with a flick of his wrist, planted a chakra seal on Sasuke's forehead. The Uchiha froze in midstep and almost fell over if Naruto didn't set his legs properly. It would have been comical to Naruto if killer intent wasn't rolling of Sasuke in waves.

"Hold still oh mighty and prodigal Uchiha. I'd like to take a look at your curse seal with these eyes of mine. Oh, and by the way: I've been toying with you. My Shirugan's abilities overlap with your Sharingan and the Hyuuga's Byakugan, as both are mutations of the Uzumaki bloodline. My specialty, however, lies in kanji seals. So hold still – not that you have a choice."

Sasuke struggled against the hold-seal Naruto had slapped on him. _Damn him, he's going to take the source of my power!_

"No I'm not; the power you have has been in you your entire life. I'm just going to remove what has perverted it." Naruto said calmly.

Sasuke's eyes widened, remembering that his old sensei Kakashi had pulled the same mind-reading trick on Zabuza years ago.

Naruto focused on the curse seal and analyzed it. _Damn; Orochimaru may have been a lying, cheating, evil S.O.B. of the first order, but the old Sannin came by his reputation honestly._ The seal permeated Sasuke's chakra system on every level, and was tied to his well-being.

_I can't simply remove the chakra from the seal, it'll kill him._

**_That's a bad thing?_** Kyuubi chimed in.

_Yeah… I don't really want to kill him… yet. He has to learn the truth first. THEN, I decide whether to kill him or not._ Naruto thought back.

_**Heheheh… that's my kit.**_

Ignoring the fox's last comment, Naruto began to unravel the ties Orochimaru's seal had on Sasuke.

* * *

Itachi, Deidara, and Sasori were literally removing Orochimaru's ties to Sasuke. The Snake Sannin was losing. Badly. At the rate he was losing, Itachi figured they would kill him in the next few attacks. What unnerved the usually-unnervable Uchiha was that Orochimaru wouldn't stop smiling, as if the Sannin still had one last completely-unbeatable trump card.

Suddenly, Deidara screamed as his shoulder began spewing blood all over his severed right arm, which was lying on the ground. A loud tunneling sound alerted Itachi and Sasori to a large hole in the ground, out of which dirt flew.

"Kuso! No matter how much pain training you go through, nothing prepares you for-" But his last swords rolled back into his throat unuttered as he was swallowed whole by an extremely large white snake which burst from the ground. Instead of scales, the large snake possed skin consisting of smaller snakes coiled around its body.

"**Impressive, neh? I made it myself; my new body for my new rebirth! I no longer wanted Sasuke-kun's delicious body as my own; I just wanted to see how many Akatsuki he could rid me of. But I see that as the old adage goes, 'if you want something done, do it yourself'!"** The snake thing cackled delightedly. A small thump was heard as the Orochimaru's newly revealed form bulged slightly in the middle.

"**Ah… I _do_ prefer my Akatsuki well-done. Thus ends the fleeting Deidara – a fitting end, if you ask me."** Orochimaru said as a large tongue darted out and licked his chops.

"There are so many things I could say right now, but I'm not going to waste my time," Sasori growled. "However, you've angered me. Now I need a new partner!" He flicked his wrists and waggled his fingers, and his two puppets launched themselves at Orochimaru, one for the head, one for its midsection. The oversized snake caught Father in its jaws and shredded it to bits, but Mother made it to the body and drew forth a large needle slathered in poison.

Before it could pierce the snake however, several of the tinier snakes unraveled from the body and constricted the puppet, trapping it as Orochimaru crushed it with his tail.

"**Pointless. Goodbye, Sasori.**" And with that, Orochimaru's snakes coiled around the dropped poison needle and, before Sasori could so much as replace himself with one of his puppets or dodge out of the way, Orochimaru had impaled him upon his own spear.

"**Puppeteers were always poor ninja up close."** Orochimaru hissed, tasting the air for any scent of his last opponent. He hissed louder and in pain when several kunai pierced his outer skin through his snakes. He twisted around to Itachi leaping away.

* * *

Naruto wiped the sweat from his brow and stepped back, waving his hand over Sasuke's forehead. Sasuke stumbled as control over his limbs was returned to him, and he scowled.

"So you've removed the curse seal. I didn't think that was possible," Sasuke said in his usual monotone. "So what now? I'll admit, I should be dead. What is it you want?"

Naruto smiled. "For you to read this piece of paper. If, when your done, you still want to continue on this path of yours, I will kill you. If you decide otherwise – well, just read the note."

Sasuke took the proffered envelope from Naruto and examined it for traps, though in his heart he knew there wouldn't be any. He noticed that Sakura had come to stand next to Naruto and was watching him expectantly, as was Lee. He briefly wondered where Hinata was until he felt her form press into his back. Pondering whether this was the time for such intimacy, Naruto nevertheless twisted his head to kiss the side of Hinata's, for which he received a warm nuzzle.

Sasuke eyed them cautiously before taking out the two slips of paper, the letter from the Yondaime to Naruto, and the mission report filed by Uchiha Itachi. Sasuke read the letter first, and as Naruto watched his eyes got wider and wider. When he finished, he looked up at Naruto and stared.

"I had no idea… no one ever… and the way you were treated! How…" Sasuke spluttered in a very Hinata-ish manner.

Naruto motioned for him to continue reading, and he did so. When Sasuke finished reading the mission report from those years ago, his face had assumed a calm countenance.

"The Sandaime is dead; I don't suppose I can confirm this with him?" Sasuke asked softly, and Naruto shook his head.

"Not unless we use Orochimaru's undead-summoning jutsu. I understand this is a lot to handle right now, so all that I'll ask is this: will you return to Konoha with us? You can ask the Hyuuga elders if they have anything to say about it." Naruto offered. "I've been meaning to have a word with them myself, but I wanted to wait and see if you could back me up."

"Why?" Sasuke asked. "Why would you wait for me, a traitor and one who caused you personal pain?"

"Because you failed, Sasuke." Naruto stated, a grin forming on his face. "You tried to break the bonds you had to Konoha years ago, but you failed miserably – here we are."

Sasuke sighed, a small smile forming. _I haven't smiled in a while,_ he thought sadly. _I almost don't remember how._

Sasuke looked Naruto in the eye. "There's still something I'm missing. If my brother is innocent, where the hell is he?"

Naruto pointed to where Itachi was dodging the large white snake that was now Orochimaru. "He's over there, but frankly he's in no mood to talk. It's not you… hell, it's not even him. It's that stupid snake Orochi-teme. Shall I?" And Naruto pointed to his Shirugan.

"Naruto, what are you planning?" Hinata said, stepping away from his warmth. Naruto chuckled.

"_Planned, _Hinata-chan. I told Itachi that if I succeeded in getting Sasuke to agree to return to Konoha with me, I would be safe in using a very powerful, very dangerous seal. Sasuke, do I have your word that you will at least return to Konoha with us to question the Hyuuga?"

Sasuke nodded. "I will…"

Naruto nodded. "Stand back everyone; this is gonna get ugly. Sasuke, I need all my chakra for this one; send a katon jutsu towards Orochimaru, it's the signal I preset with Itachi."

Sasuke nodded and gather the chakra. _It feels weird… but strangely liberating without that seal, as if a weight has been lifted from my chakra system._ He finished with tiger and launched a simple fireball at the giant snake. It exploded harmlessly on its side, but Itachi saw the flames and used the Shunshin jutsu, poofing away in a burst of smoke. A few seconds later he poofed back into existence next to Naruto. He glanced at Sasuke before averting his eyes, though not before Sasuke caught the shame that appeared on his brother's face.

_So different from last time…_ Sasuke thought, remembering when he had chased Naruto to a border village to warn him that Itachi was after him.

Naruto focused, and suddenly a very large seal appeared on Orochimaru's head. Before the large snake could react, a loud whooshing sound was heard, as if a vacuum was being created. Before anyone could yell or react in any way, Orochimaru's chakra exploded. To Naruto, Sasuke, Itachi, and Hinata, it was as if a small nuclear weapon made out of chakra exploded. To Sakura and Lee, they could only sense and feel the chakra as it imploded in on itself and passed through them harmlessly as a result of the kanji.

Naruto grinned and extended the victory sign.

Then he slowly fell backwards, his descent halted by Hinata as she caught him and pulled him close.

Itachi frowned. "That was… interesting. I see now why he needed to be sure that there were no more enemies. C'mon, lets get back to camp."

And he turned and led the Konoha shinobi away from the battlefield, strewn with two tattered black cloaks, dozens of sound ninja, and one large snake carcass.

* * *

And thus it ends. Yeah I know, Sasori and Deidara should have put up better fights, and the fights in general were lacking, but I couldn't help myself.

More to come! Thanks for reading! See ya next time...

Oh yeah... R&R:-)


	20. Youth is Wasted

This site's updates are craptastic… I wasn't even alerted to the last chapter for hours!

This chapter was delayed because it exceeds the weighted phrase limit on my school's net block; if you have a problem with people cursing up a storm in the heat of the moment, don't read! It's Teen for a reason!

Anyways, without further ado, a chapter! Posted quick, just like the good 'ole days!

* * *

Chapter 20 – Youth is Wasted

Surprisingly, Sasuke led the way back to Konoha at Naruto's request. Overriding Lee and Sakura's protests, Naruto explained that Sasuke was extremely unstable. Naruto didn't enjoy the prospect of baring his back to his old friend, in case Sasuke decided suddenly that he didn't want to return to Konoha.

It was a possibility that could not be discounted, if last night's meal was anything to go by.

Hinata had made her special stew again and it tasted just as delicious as before. Sasuke was surprised at the sensation; he explained that meals with Orochimaru were extremely brief and governed by taciturn silence and bland, tasteless food. When they sat down around the fire, Naruto was still unconscious. Hinata placed him in her lap as she sat down to eat, not wanting to let Naruto out of her sight.

As she ate, she noticed Naruto's nose twitch. Then, without warning, Naruto sat up abruptly, a hand reaching around to grab his blade Makai.

His hand did not close on Makai. It didn't even close on something that would have made Hinata faint with embarrassment. Naruto's hand swiftly collided with the front edge of Hinata's bowl of stew. It flung itself forward gleefully to land with a wet splat on Naruto's head. Stew dripped from his hair onto his forehead. Realizing what he had just done and what he had been doing before, he reached behind his head to Hinata's head.

Shocked and barely holding in her mirth, Hinata sat as Naruto wiped some stew from her lips. He brought his fingers to his own mouth and licked them thoughtfully.

"Hmmm…" he said. "Hinata-chan's stew, plus the taste of Hinata-chan… can't say I'm not happy."

Then he noticed that Sakura had stuffed her fist in her mouth, Lee was eating his wrist bandages, and Itachi was hiding in his cowled cloak. Even Sasuke looked to be holding back a laugh.

Naruto grinned, taking the bowl from his head and offering it to the rest of his friends. "Geez, where are my manners? Stew, anyone?"

And the forest trembled with the force of their laughing. Naruto laughed the hardest in between cleaning the stew from his shirt and getting Hinata and himself bowls.

However, that evening, when everyone was bunking down, Sasuke had approached his brother at the edge of the encampment.

Their conservation swiftly degenerated into Sasuke threatening to rip Itachi's heart out if what he had written in the report was false. Naruto had to ask Lee to put Sasuke in a sleeper hold until the Uchiha could struggle no longer against the strength of the fuzzy-browed taijutsu master. Grumbling, Sasuke had wordlessly assumed the night watch for the rest of the evening. Naruto outlined their formation for the trip back to Konoha, and no one complained, save for Lee and Sakura.

However, the trip proved uneventful, especially when compared to the previous few days' antics. Outwardly, Naruto was glad for the reprieve, but secretly he was quivering with anticipation for the meeting he would demand with the Hyuuga elders. He hoped to Kami-sama that he could win the support of Hiashi and Neji; Hyuuga elders held their positions honestly as the most powerful Hyuuga in the two families, not counting the head of the household.

_Hey baka-kitsune, what do you know about the Hyuuga?_ Naruto thought to the demon lord.

**_No more than you do; I had very little encounters with them compared to the times I met with the Uchiha or fought with the Uzumaki._** The Kyuubi grumbled. **_However, I do recommend you parlay with words before you attack them physically. They are, from what I have heard, very powerful fighters. While individually they are no match for you, they have a great advantage in numbers and can force many branch members to fight with them or face death._**

_I have an idea for how to handle that little problem,_ Naruto thought smugly. _I just have to get Neji alone and convince him to try it out first._

Naruto was forced to halt his pondering as he stopped himself from crashing into Sasuke. Looking at the Uchiha as to why he stopped so suddenly, Sharingan eyes simply flicked ahead. Naruto followed his gaze to see the gates of Konoha not a kilometer away.

"Oh," Naruto said as the others congregated around them. "We'll take it at a jog from here. Line abreast, and keep your hands where anyone who wants to can see them," Naruto advised.

As they set out, Hinata smiled as she felt Naruto's hand sneak its way into hers, entwining their fingers together.

* * *

Tsunade gazed out the window longingly towards the Konoha gate. It had been almost a week since Naruto and his team had left on their mission. She returned her attention to the mountain of paperwork that occupied her desk and sighed.

"Tsuande-sama, you can't go outside and play until you finished your homework!" Shizune said delightedly as she helped Tsunade sort through the documents.

Tsunade glared at her. "Yes, oh mother who isn't even half my age!"

Shizune just laughed, then stopped abrubtly. "Do you sense that?" the attendant asked quickly.

Tsunade stared at her, puzzled, then stood up quickly. "I haven't felt this many massive chakra signatures since Jiraiya, Orochimaru, Sarutobi-sensei and I were all in one room together."

Shizune nodded. "I think they're back. And I think they've brought a few friends with them."

Tsunade nodded. "Let's hope you are correct," she said darkly.

* * *

Naruto stopped few feet from entering Konoha again. The rest of the group stopped as well. They weren't happy.

"Naruto you baka, why are we stopping?" Sakura said exasperatedly. "I'm tired and hungry!"

"Naruto, the fire of youth burns within me, but I must agree with Sakura-chan." Lee stated tiredly. "We've traveled very far today, and not all of us have assimilated demons into our chakra systems."

Naruto simply grinned. "Just hang for a few more seconds. The welcoming committee is coming."

Sasuke tensed at his end of the line; Itachi did the same.

"Ano, Sasuke-san, Itachi-san, I do not think you need to be worried," Hinata said soothingly. "Tsunade-sama is very kind-"

"NARUTO! YOU BETTER HAVE A GOOD EXPLANATION FOR THIS!" a loud voice screeched, booming across the hills and forests of the Fire Country.

Sasuke looked at Hinata, sheer incredulity dripping from his face. Hinata had the grace to look down. "Well… most of the time?" she offered.

Naruto shook his head. "Never," he supplied, squeezing his girlfriend's shoulder. He took a few steps forward as the Godaime Hokage and Shizune landed on the ground in front of them.

"Uchiha Itachi! I didn't recognize your charka signature; it has been far too long! I take it you are returning for good, this time?" Tsunade blurted out, while Shizune blushed.

"Yes, I have come home. Thank you for your understanding. However, I am also here because of my brother, Sasuke. He too wishes to return to Konoha and learn the truth about that night many years ago." Itachi replied politely, and Shizune blushed again.

Naruto looked at the attendant curiously. _Does she have a thing for Itachi? Are all ninja interested singles?_ He thought, laughing inwardly.

Tsunade was nodding. "Yes, I suspected as much when Naruto showed me the mission reports that you, Sasuke, would return. I won't waste any time with reinitiating the two of you then until Sasuke has confronted the Hyuuga on this manner. Would you like me to accompany your team to the compound?"

Before Naruto could reply, Itachi shook his head. "No, I do not think that would be wise. However, if you were to shadow us and be on hand in case the situation becomes violent, I would greatly appreciate it. I hardly wish for my first day back to Konoha to be marked by bloodshed.

Naruto glared at Itachi, who grinned mockingly at him. "Naruto, just because I was sent on a very long mission doesn't mean I was stripped of all rank here at Konoha. I still retain the position of Captain of Anbu."

Naruto nodded. "Makes sense, I suppose. Lead the way, Itachi-_senpai_."

Hinata and Sakura giggled, though they stopped when Tsunade added, "Lee and Sakura, I would like for you two to accompany me to my office where you two will represent your team in a debriefing session."

"But Tsunade-shishou, I want to go with Naruto! He'll need our-" Sakura began, but Tsunade cut her off.

"Help? Sakura, Itachi, Naruto, and Sasuke are enough to destroy this entire village with less than one casualty. Hinata is going because this directly involves her clan. You two, aside from your connections to Naruto and Sasuke, will complicate matters if you are present. I will see you in my office ASAP. That is all." Tsunade finished, and she and Shizune poofed away.

Sakura scowled. "I still think we should be allowed to go, don't you Lee?" she asked desperately. "Lee?" she said, looking around.

Lee was happily snoring against the gate post. Sakura went over and began shaking him furiously. "Lee-san! Were you even listening?" She yelled.

Over Lee's protests, Sasuke leaned over to Naruto to whisper, "She hasn't changed, has she?" he asked quietly.

"Nah. If anything, she's become even more violent," Naruto whispered confidentially. Sasuke nodded.

"C'mon Naruto, Sasuke, Hinata. Let's go pay the Hyuuga a visit." Itachi said suddenly.

Itachi knew in his heart that he had lied through his teeth. He knew that today would end in bloodshed.

However, he was partially honest. Blood would be spilled, but he would not start it, and nor would Sasuke. The Hyuuga would be shown justice.

* * *

Hyuuga Hiashi was not a cowardly man. He was one of the most powerful ninja of Konoha. He was excused from active duty because of the duties he possessed as clan head. Publicly. He quickly established with the Sandaime, the Yondaime, and now the Godaime that he would happily take S-Class scouting and assassination missions.

Each Hokage eagerly made use of his special brand of getting the job done with very little mess to clean up.

However, Hiashi could not honestly say he felt no fear when he greeted who had come to the door.

The branch family members who had let them in were obviously fooled by the genjutsu, but Hiashi had trained his Byakugan to near mastery. He brought his hands together to dispel the illusion surrounding the four nondescript "jounin" which stood before them.

Nothing happened. Hiashi's eyes widened and he tried again, using even more charka than before. Finally, the illusion was dispelled and he almost had to sit down.

Gathered in his foyer were the two Uchiha traitors and Uzumaki Naruto. Add that to the fact that Hinata was also in their company and Hiashi had one strange reunion on his hands. He did the only thing he could think of.

Small talk.

"Hinata! It is good to see you again, my daughter. I trust the mission went well and that Naruto protected you well?" Hiashi said with

Hinata nodded, puzzled as why her father was acting so strangely, but when she noticed Naruto nodding grimly, Hinata glared at her boyfriend. "Naruto, what exactly is going on?"

"Hinata, you know that your family was responsible for the massacre of the Uzumaki clan, correct?" Naruto said monotonously.

Hinata nodded, and Naruto continued, a small grin appearing on his face. "Well, Hiashi knows this too, but he was against the whole thing. However, there was nothing he could do about it as he could not stand against all the elders on his own, despite his prowess."

Then Naruto assumed the most feral, demonic expression any of his friends had ever seen. When he spoke, his voice resonated with sheer evil.

"**So this time, I'm going to help him. Come, Hinata-chan, I have a few questions for these "elders"!"**

Naruto crouched down briefly, then stood up suddenly, arms extended outwards.

"**RAAAAAAAAAAHHH!" **He roared, flaring every last bit of chakra in his body so that the room shook with the force of his power. Itachi and Sasuke's hair flew backwards, but they held their ground.

_I need to train more,_ was the common thought amongst the Uchiha brothers.

Hinata had to brace herself against the storm. "Naruto-kun," she whispered.

Naruto formed three seals slowly and deliberately: ram, ox, and finally, dragon. As he did so, red chakra began to form around his body, waving and twisting menacingly. He turned around and motioned for the rest of them to follow and, without checking to see if they did, he stalked out of the small entryway and down the hallway into the main courtyard.

Itachi, Sasuke, Hiashi, and Hinata hurried to follow their blonde companion, and when they all reached the courtyard, a slightly comical sight greeted them.

Every single member of the Hyuuga household had gathered in the square grassy area. Naruto briefly noticed Tsunade and Shizune hiding in a powerful cloaking genjutsu, but he dismissed them. When the Hyuuga realized that the source of the power was here, and just who it was, the reaction was immediate. Every member of the family pressed up against the walls of the courtyard as if preparing to watch a fight.

Every member except five old men standing calmly in the center of the courtyard.

The middle one looked Naruto in the eye, asking him calmly. "And what gives you the right to barge into our house with such intent to kill?"

Naruto grinned, and without any warning the red chakra disappeared. Only Itachi and Sasuke, who had their doujutsu active, could see that it was returned to Naruto's chakra system. To Hinata, it had dissipated.

"Why, I'm just here to talk. I'm told the Yondaime Hokage did that often with his good friend here. Is that so wrong?" Questioned Naruto innocently.

The head elder glared briefly. "No… no it isn't." he bowed. "My name is Yitaru of the Hyuuga clan. What did you wish to talk about?" he asked politely.

Naruto grinned. "I'd like to talk about the Uchiha massacre, if at all possible. It's all pretty fuzzy to me, and in case you haven't noticed, my friends, Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Sasuke would also like to learn about the Uchiha massacre."

At that statement, every Hyuuga save for the five elders vacated the open-air room, leaving them alone. Yitaru sneered.

"Why should we tell these traitors what they already know? Is that not the reason that Itachi left the village? Is that not why Sasuke left the village? They know what happened!" Yitaru shouted. "Now leave my home or-"

"Methinks he doth protest too much," Hinata interrupted. "If they do in fact know, why are you so upset? Let us drop these facades, you sniveling pile of pig snot. Everyone in this room knows the truth of the Uchiha massacre _and_ the Uzumaki massacre: the Hyuuga orchestrated everything. They sold the Uzumaki to the Kyuubi and double-crossed the Uchiha, all so that they would be the only powerful clan of Konoha!" Hinata finished, yelling. She stepped to the side so that she was right next to Naruto.

"Surely you cannot be so bold as to speak such accusations in _my_ house-"

"**YOU HAD NO RIGHT!" **Naruto shouted suddenly. **"WHAT RIGHT DID YOU HAVE TO KILL MY ENTIRE FAMILY WHOM I WILL NEVER MEET! WHAT RIGHT DID YOU HAVE TO KILL SASUKE'S ENTIRE CLAN, TEARING FROM HIM THE LOVE AND SUPPORT OF HIS FAMILY! AND FOR WHAT? POWER? YOU SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER, YITARU-BAKA! THE HYUUGA MESSED UP! THEY LEFT WITNESSES! AND SURVIVORS! AND NOW YOU ARE GOING TO DIE FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE!"**

Everyone stared.

No one moved.

A sob escaped Hinata as she gazed upon the pain and anger etched into Naruto's face.

Itachi and Sasuke prepared themselves.

"Sasuke, do you know why we fight today?" Itachi asked his younger brother.

Sasuke nodded. "For justice," he answered calmly. "And… for Naruto."

Itachi nodded in approval.

Naruto grinned suddenly. "**When you get to hell, look up and say hello to my dad, you sonofabitch," **he offered.

Naruto exploded with raw chakra, and in the same instant disappeared, only to reappear directly in front of Yitaru, who was sweating.

"**Any last words?"** Naruto asked innocently, claws poised at the Hyuuga's throat.

Yitaru was about to answer when a voice cried out suddenly.

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata yelled.

All movement stopped yet again, and Naruto turned to look at the girl who had changed his life. He remembered who she was and where he was.

He noticed her tears, and his heart broke.

"Naruto-kun, don't do this! Don't become a murderer!" Hinata wailed. "Don't get lost in your power! This isn't right! This isn't the Naruto-kun I fell in love with years ago, and it isn't the Naruto-kun I love now!" she cried.

Naruto became even more still. _She said she loves me…she loves me?_

Hinata looked into his eyes. "Please?" she asked quietly.

The power receeded. "Hinata-chan-"

PAFF.

His words caught in his throat as Yitaru plunged his palm into Naruto's back, chakra spiking his heart. Blood gurgled in Naruto's throat, and he fell forward silently. It seemed to his companions that he took an eternity to fall, and when he landed he made no sound, though the dust rose around his form from the impact of his muscular body.

Yitaru grinned triumphantly. "And the Uzumaki are finally dead. A good thing, too; it seems our heir had taken a liking to him."

Yitaru jumped when a poof went off in the courtyard, and he nearly wet himself when he saw the Godaime Hokage standing on the grass, tears on her face and rage in her eyes.

"Hokage-sama, what are you doing here? I assure you, I can explain-"

He was interrupted by yet another poof. Yitaru followed the sound and was shocked to see that the smoke surrounded the spot where Naruto had fallen. When the smoke cleared he was gone.

This time, there was no smoke to accompany the arrival. This time, Yitaru really did soil his robe when he saw Naruto standing in front of him calmly.

"Y'know, my dad single-handedly turned the tide of the Leaf-Rock war with the Hirashin no jutsu. Fitting that I use the technique here; the first time it saved your life, and you repaid my father by making my life hell. This time, it ruined your life, and now your life will be a living hell." Naruto stated. "You're rather unlucky Hinata-chan stopped my from tearing out your throat, because I guarantee in a few days, you'll wish I did. Tsunade-baa-chan, if you'll do the honors?" Naruto asked indifferently.

Tsunade wiped the shock from her face with a death glare. "Hyuuga Yitaru et al, you are charged and convicted with the murder of the Uchiha clan, the murder of the Uzumaki clan, and the attempted murder of Uzumaki Naruto. You are sentenced to life in the shinobi prison, no parole."

Tsunade snapped her fingers, and one dozen anbu poofed into the courtyard. "Remove this taint from the Hyuuga compound." She turned to Hiashi. "I apologize for the inconvenience, but you're going to have to find some new bookkeepers or whatever these elders did."

Hiashi bowed, and when he was upright Tsunade swore he was grinning. "Hai, Hokage-sama. It will be my pleasure."

Tsunade turned to Sasuke and Itachi. "You two, see me in my office. You need to be reinstated as ninja and I have to tell you where you will be living."

Sasuke and Itachi nodded and followed their Hokage out. Sasuke glanced over his shoulder at Naruto, but before there eyes could meet he was outside.

Hinata realized that the courtyard was deserted. She approached Naruto tentatively.

"Naruto-kun?" she asked softly. "Are you… okay?"

Naruto looked at her, and her heart melted at the sadness in his eyes. Without a word her motherly instincts took over and suddenly Naruto was in her arms and he was sobbing ferociously into her shoulder and she was whispering in his ear.

After a few minutes, Naruto's tears dried and he laughed helplessly. "I told myself I would never cry out of sadness again."

Hinata pushed him away so that she could look into his eyes. "You're only human, Naruto-kun. It's okay to cry. Proof that we had a creator is that he gave us tears for our sadness."

Naruto nodded, smiling. Then he frowned. "Actually, you're wrong, Hinata-chan. I'm not just human. I'm a half-demon."

Hinata's eyes widened. "The Kyuubi's merging?"

Naruto nodded again. "I'll understand if you don't want to-OOMF!"

He was cut off by soft lips pressing against his. When they pulled away, he shook his head. "I don't know what I did to deserve you, Hinata-chan."

She giggled. "Well, I could say the same," but Naruto shook his head.

"You said you loved me?" he asked quietly. Hinata pressed close to him and kissed his cheek.

"Yes, I do, Naruto-kun. Now more so than ever. So don't even think about going away!" she said playfully.

Naruto smiled softly. "I love you too much to do that to you."

He kissed her again, and she melted into him. It seemed that, finally, things were looking up for a long time.

* * *

Many miles away, in a deep network of caverns, caves, and tunnels, a man watched two disembodied hands. Ten rings glowed softly. Four rings went out. The man got up from his seat and looked at their kanji.

"So Orochimaru is dead, but so are Sasori and Deidara," he said softly in a voice full of power. "But Itachi…" He looked at the ring more closely. "Itachi is still alive."

The leader of the organization known as Akatsuki returned to his chair and his thinking.

Always, thinking, always planning, always plotting.

"Alive... but it doesn't matter." The leader said to himself.

And he planned for the strife to come.

* * *

And another ending! This concludes the Hyuuga-Uchiha conspiracy Arc, so let the new one begin!

Another chappie in about a week, so R&R!


	21. I Beg Your Pardon?

And a new arc begins. This was supposed to be, for all intents and purposes, a 'small' interlude which actually has some impact on the next arc. However, school and other things that make up what we call "life" got in the way, yet also imspired me to create this chapter. I can't describe how it will fit in with the story as a whole... yet, so for now: ENJOY!

Oh yeah, and by the way: I don't own Naruto. Good thing too.

* * *

Chapter 20 – I Beg Your Pardon?

Hinata pulled away from Naruto slightly. Feeling Naruto rest his chin on her forehead, she sighed. "We should return to the Hokage's office, Naruto-kun."

Naruto nodded. "Yeah. Besides, we need to get paid! I'm running low on ramen!"

Hinata laughed. "I doubt that. Let's go."

* * *

Meanwhile, Sasuke sat before the most buxom woman he had ever seen. She looked vaguely familiar, but before today he could have sworn he had never seen her.

"So," she began suddenly. "I suppose your idea of thanking me for healing you those years ago was to betray Konoha and side with Orochimaru?"

Sasuke sighed. "Hokage-sama, what I did was wrong. Very wrong. I acted out of jealousy and hatred and a lust for power. Though I see now that I was not myself when I had the cursed seal, since Naruto removed it-"

"Wait a minute; Naruto removed your curse seal?" Tsunade interrupted. "Show me your left shoulder."

Sasuke complied, sliding off the end of his white gi to reveal plain skin, with no trace of the mark of Orochimaru. Tsunade examined it, even placed a hand engulfed in green charka on the site, but could detect no trace of the taint of Orochimaru.

"I can't believe that boy. Anyways, so what were you expecting when you returned to Konoha?" Tsunade continued.

Sasuke bowed his head. "I expect to be brought to justice. The thought of death does not frighten me now that I know the truth of… of my brother." Sasuke looked to Itachi and winked. "And now that there's another Uchiha, there's another chance to rebuild the clan."

Itachi grinned. Sasuke remained somber as Tsunade looked at him, almost appraisingly.

Then she laughed. "Ha! Kill you? Kill a genin trained by one of the Legendary Sannin? I don't think so."

Tsunade stood up. "Death is the easy way out, and in fact Konoha doesn't have a death sentence. So you will not be killed. You will be reinstated as a genin. You will take a test of my choosing and if you pass you will become a jounin. If you become a jounin you will become the fifth member of Naruto's team. Itachi!" She shouted suddenly.

He rose to attention. "Hai, Hokage-sama."

Tsunade smiled gently. "Welcome home. Your jounin status has been reinstated. There is an opening, by the way, on the ANBU squads. Would you like to take it?"

Itachi thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Hokage-sama, I would not. I am tired of the life of an ANBU. However, if you have a genin team that needs a jounin leader?"

Tsunade grinned evilly. "You know, I have just the one. Meet me in my office at eight AM sharp tomorrow morning!"

Itachi nodded. "Oh and one more thing," he asked. "Where shall my brother and I be lodged?"

Tsunade grinned once again. "Your timing is impeccable, gaki. Get in here, this affects you as well."

Itachi's eyes widened as Naruto fell from his hiding place in the ceiling. Hinata preferred more conventional methods and used the door.

"Itachi and Sasuke, I am lodging you in the Uzumaki clan residency effective immediately. Basic needs have already been purchased for you and brought there; your bank accounts have flourished in your absences, so you will be able to purchase additional supplies."

Naruto leapt in the air. "Woo-hoo! This is awesome! I'm gonna have, like, a little family! Yeah!"

Without even thinking, Sasuke bopped Naruto on the top of his spiky blonde head. "Baka," he said amusedly.

Naruto yelped, rubbing his head, then stared at Sasuke in amazement. Sasuke shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. "What?" the Uchiha said awkwardly.

Naruto smiled. "Nothing, Sasuke. Nothing at all."

Sasuke returned the smile, and Tsunade decided she needed a drink. "Alright, all of you out of my office now! Itachi, take you and your brother to Busho's weapon shop and trade in those pathetic excuses for swords! Naruto, wait a minute. There's something we need to discuss."

Itachi glared. "I made these blades myself," he reminded Tsunade.

"Busho could smith circles around you, Itachi. Sasuke, that sword is inherently evil; give it to Busho to play with for a day or two and you'll be surprised with the results."

Sasuke bowed, and he and Itachi left.

"Hinata, please leave. This conversation, for now, is for Naruto alone," Tsunade said firmly.

"Head home to your family; I'll come by later tonight, okay?" Naruto asked. Hinata answered by way of a peck on the cheek, and left.

When the door shut, Naruto turned around to face a very serious Hokage. This simply wouldn't stand for Naruto.

"So what's the deal, Baa-chan?" Naruto asked cheekily.

"Sit down, brat," Tsunade replied without so much as batting an eye. Naruto sat, all trace of humor gone from his visage.

"So. You have accomplished what you set out to do and fulfilled on of your promises. Sasuke has returned to Konoha, and we have you to thank for it," Tsunade said, as though relaying a prepared speech.

Naruto nodded. "So what now? I mean, with the threat from Orochimaru gone and a serious blow dealt to Akatsuki, what remains? How are Konoha's relations with the other villages?"

Tsunade grinned. "Well. We are on neutral terms with the Rock, though they have yet to find out that you are the Yondaime's son. They'll probably be a little miffed at that, but I'm not too worried. The Mist's kage has sent a formal letter of thanks to Team 7 for eliminating Zabuza as a threat, and we are on good relations with them. Grass has forgiven us for killing so many of their genin in previous Chuunin Exams, and Cloud has sent formal apology for the attempted abduction of Hyuuga Hinata and their murder of Hyuuga Hiashi's brother."

Naruto nodded. "And what about Sand? How's Gaara doing?"

Tsunade's grin became wider. "The Kazekage wishes that Uzumaki Naruto be informed that he is well. When Gaara became the Kazekage-"

"WHAAAAAT! Gaara is the Kazekage?" Naruto interrupted. Tsunade nodded.

"Hai, and one of the most respected ninja in Suna."

* * *

"Achoo!" Gaara sneezed. When he had recovered, he frowned, and the people around him edged away slightly. They loved their Kazekage, but no one in their right mind wanted to stand next to a frowning Gaara.

_I've never sneezed before... never._ Gaara thought. _What the hell!_

* * *

Naruto leaned back in his chair, processing this new information. _I see you finally got them to respect you, Gaara,_ Naruto thought.

"Which brings us to your next mission. Akatsuki won't be active for awhile, and as you've probably guessed the villages are in general accord with one another. However, Suna has come to us with a problem, one that is directly related to you, Naruto. Obviously as you know, Gaara is the jinchuuriki for the One-Tailed Raccoon Demon Shukaku. Akatsuki is not discriminate in their desire to acquire the demons, and Suna has become aware that Gaara is on their hit list. They have no interest in losing their Kazekage again, and have asked Konoha to send someone to Suna who can, and I quote, 'help us prepare to defend against the Akatsuki'." Tsunade leaned back and allowed Naruto to catch up. He surprised her.

"You want to send me and possibly my team to Suna to prepare their defenses against Akatsuki," Naruto stated confidently. Tsunade smiled.

"You've grown, Naruto. Yes, that is what I was going to ask you. This is not a mission, so you do not have to accept. However, if you do accept, I have some news for you which you will not here unless you accept." The bate was set, and Naruto was hungry.

"My team and I accept the mission," Nauto confirmed. "So spill it! What's the news!" Naruto howled excitedly, all trace of propriety gone.

Tsunade grinned. "I want you to… do my paperwork!"

Naruto face-vaulted – literally. "Baa-chan, you're kidding, right?"

Tsunade grinned even wider. "Nope." She got up from behind the desk and stood behind the chair. "Sit down, brat."

Grumbling, Naruto sat himself down. In front of him was the usual mountain of paperwork, but directly in front of him was a single packet of papers. Naruto could not contain his curiosity, and read it. It was a mission report from a team of chuunin describing their encounter with a camp of bandits.

"So what do you think, Naruto? I've been puzzling over that one for a while now," Tsunade remarked offhandedly, though truthfully she was dying to know what Naruto would say.

"It seems that the chuunin wiped out the bandit camp as per their orders, but I don't think they got all of them. I think that camp was just one of many in a network of camps. The evidence of scrolls and other writing implements they found in the tents suggests that they were reporting or at least corresponding with someone. The trick is to find out who and where; I recommend giving this one to the Inuzuka to sniff out," Naruto finished thoughtfully.

Tsunade stared at the tall blonde sitting in what was most likely to be his chair someday. "Naruto… that's perfect! Genma!" she shouted.

The senbon-chewing jounin dropped down from the ceiling. _How do they do that?_ Naruto wondered.

"Get Inuzuka Kiba and his sister for me ASAP." Genma nodded and poofed away. Tsunade turned to Naruto, who had already set aside the mission report and was looking at the local farmers' report. When Tsunade noticed him writing something on another paper, she almost killed him.

"Naruto, what are you doing?" she howled.

"Simply telling the farmers that they should be grateful we are stopping the local bandits and criminals from stealing their crops, burning their barns, and raping their daughters. As such, a small tax such as the one they currently pay should be no problem for them," Naruto said seriously.

Tsunade stared at him again. "Naruto, get your team to Suna. We'll discuss this when you get back."

Naruto rose and nodded, somewhat puzzled by the triumphant tone in her voice. Shrugging, he formed the ram seal and Shunshined away.

* * *

The destination he had in mind was the Hyuuga residence. So it was with trepidation that when he poofed into existence that he noticed he was in a bathroom. It was immaculate, with polished porcelain bathtub and sink.

"Neji-ni-san, if Naruto comes by could you tell him I will be with him in a few minutes?" he heard a female voice call as it approached the bathroom. When he heard the reply, he wished he hadn't been so stupid.

"Hai, Hinata-sama," Neji called back.

Naruto stared at the doorknob, fearing the worst.

It jiggled.

Naruto panicked.

Now, Naruto is not stupid, as he deftly proved otherwise in the Hokage's office. However, hormones and love can cause people to do very stupid things.

Naruto flung a kunai at the door. It landed with a loud thunk.

"Neji-ni-san, Otou-san! Intruder in the bathroom!" Naruto heard Hinata yell.

_Oh shit. _He thought.

**_You're screwed, kit. Good luck getting' out of this one_**, Kyuubi said gleefully.

Naruto growled, and was about to make a seal with his Shirugan when the door slammed open. Before Hinata could see him, Naruto jumped to the ceiling and hit himself with two kanji seals: one for invisibility, the other for masking one's chakra signature. Hinata leapt into the room, and Naruto would have fainted from relief when he saw that Hinata had clothed herself in a towel had he not been hanging from the ceiling.

Hinata had her Byakugan activated and was scanning intently. Satisfied that she had scared whoever had intruded, she disengaged her bloodline. Naruto silently thanked Kami-sama for his luck, then used the shunshin jutsu to poof away. Hinata never heard a thing, and disaster was averted.

* * *

Naruto collected his senses on the street outside the Hyuuga compound. _I think I'll go get Sasuke, Lee, and Sakura first,_ Naruto thought shakily. He walked the path to Sakura's house and knocked on the door. A woman with pink hair, presumably Sakura's mother, answered the door.

"Oh, hello Naruto-kun! I suppose you're looking for Sakura? She's out right now; she mentioned something about Sasuke's jounin test at the training area, so I'm sure she's there right now. Thanks for stopping by, you should come more often!"

As the woman closed the door, Naruto stared in awe. _That was amazing; I've never seen anyone say so much without breathing_!

As Naruto made his way to the training area, he was delighted to see Sasuke standing across from Tsunade. A few meters away stood Lee and Sakura. The tension was thick enough to cut with a dull kunai.

"Sakura!" Tsunade was shouting. "Come here."

Sakura nodded and walked over to her mentor. "Hai, Hokage-sama?"

Whipping out a kunai seemingly from no where, Tsunade grabbed one of Sakura's arms and twisted it in a hold, placing the kunai behind Sakura's head. "Sasuke! Kill Lee or Sakura dies!"

Sasuke frowned. "And when I kill Lee, assuming I can, you'll just let Sakura go? Hardly. No, the only thing I can do is attack you, and trust that Sakura will do what she can."

Sasuke vanished, and Tsunade prepared for the attack. However, Sasuke surprised everyone when he reappeared right in front of Sakura and Tsunade. Bringing his leg a few inches up, Sasuke slammed his heel down on Tsunade's toes. The result was predictable and immediate.

"Yoooow! I'll kill you, you brat!" Tsunade howled, wringing her foot out. In the confusion, Sakura was able to escape Tsunade's hold and stand next to Sasuke.

When Tsunade recovered from her shock, she shook her head ruefully and chuckled. "I'm getting to be as old as Sarutobi-sensei, it seems. Congatulations, Uchiha Sasuke. By showing your ability to think rationally about a situation and judge accordingly, and proving that you possess the ability to do what is necessary, I promote you from Genin to Jounin. You are appointed to Team Naruto, and will depart for Suna immediately to oversee their defenses against the Akatsuki!" Tsunade said confidently.

Sasuke nodded, a small smile on his otherwise impassive visage.

"Well, now that that's over with, let's go team. We're going to pick up Hinata-chan and head on out. The quicker we leave the quicker we come home," Naruto ordered.

Sasuke and Lee nodded and 'hai'd', while Sakura simply shook her head.

* * *

The journey to Suna was long and boring, covering the good part of a week. Naruto took this to be a sign that their mission would be, in fact, long and boring.

Then Hinata had to step forward and catch Naruto before he face-planted in the sand after tripping over his own feet.

"Naruto-kun, what's the matter?" Hinata asked worriedly. Naruto shook his head furiously and pointed towards the horizon.

"Sasuke, Hinata-chan, activate your doujutsu now!" Naruto yelled.

Sasuke frowned. His Sharingan was already engaged. He peered towards the horizon, focusing his sight, and almost followed Naruto's lead and collapsed.

The outer wall of Suna was a charred husk. Bodies lined the tiered wall of sand and blood was splashed all over the ground.

Behind Naruto, Sakura vomited. "This destruction," Lee wondered aloud. "Did Akatsuki already get here?"

Naruto nodded. "It's the only explanation, since Orochimaru's out of the picture. Proceed in line formation on full alert. Sasuke, get behind Hinata-chan and in front of Sakura."

Sasuke nodded and acquiesced. As the team of jounin approached the village, they noticed a large plume of sand rise into the sky.

"Gaara is fighting whoever Akatsuki sent to this desert. Double-time!" Naruto shouted, and they became blurs as they hurtled into the center of what could only be described as a large crater.

_Gaara,_ Naruto thought. _Hang in there._

* * *

As Naruto and his team leapt across the rooftops of Suna, they were greeted with an interesting sight.

Gaara was standing on one particularly tall rooftop. His sand was flowing out of its gourd in a circle around him. He guided the chakra-filled sand with his hands, directing it to attack, parry, riposte, and generally be a nuisance to the black cloaked man he was fighting.

The Akatsuki member was a sight to behold. He wielded a large scythe with three blades on the pole and had decorated his face with strange markings. Every now and then Naruto's keen ears would pick up a shout of 'faith'.

As they approached the battle scene, Hinata drew level with Naruto.

"Naruto-kun, that Akatsuki's partner is standing over there," Hinata whispered, motioning with her head towards another building. Naruto nodded and gave the sign to halt.

As his team gathered around the blonde shinobi, Naruto outlined his plan. "Alright team, there are two Akatsuki S-class ninja here to deal with. I'm not asking that we kill them, only that we drive them away. They are probably under orders to preserve their lives at all costs due to the fact that recently we have eliminated four members of their organization, not counting Orochimaru who defected. So here's the plan: Sakura-chan and Lee, you two go help Gaara fight the dude who doesn't know what a scythe looks like. Hinata-chan and Sasuke, you're with me. We're gonna ferret out the scythe dude's partner. Split!"

And with that, they became blurs.

Gaara dodged the scythe yet again, then had to jump as the thrust of the three blades became a horizontal slash. As he rose, he drew his hands in and thrust them towards the sky.

Hidan jumped into the air, twisting to avoid the sand and slashing at what he couldn't dodge. As he returned to the ground he attached a chain to the end of his scythe. Grinning wildly, he threw the three-bladed death dealer at Gaara, who took the blow in the face before dissolving into sand. Growling, Hidan yanked on the chain forcefully, catching the pole as it flew past him.

Gaara emerged from the sand of the building a few meters away from the Akatsuki. As he did so he was joined by Sakura and Lee. Without any preamble, Sakura checked Gaara for wounds.

"What are you doing?" Gaara asked monotonously.

"I'm checking you for wounds, but you seem to be unharmed. As usual," Sakura remarked dryly. Gaara nodded.

"That little fact about me is now more important than ever. You see him there?" he pointed to Hidan, who was watching the newcomers intently while licking his scythe blade. "His attack consists of a ritual. See that circle he's standing in? He's painted them all over the city. If he gets your blood on one of those blades, you will die. You either not get cut or keep him out of the circles," Gaara finished.

Sakura stared. "How did you figure this out?" she asked incredulously. Lee muttered something about the fire of youth, glad that Gaara was not known for exceptional hearing.

"I watched from my office the guards at the entrance to the village. I watched as the first was torn in two by his blade. Then he just reached out and nicked the other. The last guard jumped away, then suddenly his chest exploded. I assume the rest of the ANBU here got the same treatment unless they escaped." Gaara suddenly moved away from Sakura and Lee. They too leapt back as a scythe whistled between them, only to return to its master's hand once more.

"Okay, that's enough! My lord demands sacrifices!" Hidan shouted. "Time to die!"

He left his circle then, speeding towards Lee. _This fruitcup is the first to go!_ Hidan howled silently. He whipped the scythe over his head towards Lee.

_Too fast!_ Hidan thought triumphantly.

WHAM!

The scythe was stopped, but neither by flesh nor sand. Lee stood there calmly, the pole of the scythe caught and held fast in one hand. Hidan grinned triumphantly. "And now you die!" he shouted, yanking on the scythe with the intent to cut his hand.

Nothing happened. The scythe didn't move, and now Lee was grinning rather annoyingly. Hidan yanked again and cursed.

"My guess is that you've trained extensively, almost exclusively with this scythe," Lee remarked conversationally. "I am sure you are very strong. However…"

And Lee dropped to the ground, shooting out a foot which collided with Hidan's kneecap. His leg fell away but he was able to yank the scythe out of Lee's uncaring grip.

"I too am strong." Lee grinned and settled into his Gouken stance. "So come… girly-man."

Sakura slapped a hand to her forehead. As powerful as Lee and his permanently opened gates were, she just didn't see the wisdom in insulting who was mostly likely one of the most powerful ninja in the world.

* * *

Meanwhile, Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata were running along a circular path which Naruto claimed would lead them straight to the other Akatsuki member.

Then the other Akatsuki member found them.

"I suppose you're looking more me?" A voice said tauntingly. Naruto halted in his flight and turned about sharply.

He stared at the man who looked like some sort of monster stitched together from the corpses of other humans. His eyes glared evilly out from sunken sockets.

"Ah… and you are?" Naruto asked in a mockingly playful tone.

"Hmph. Who I am is of no concern to… oh, I see. Very well; I am Kakuzu. _You_ are Uzumaki Naruto. My leader warned me that there was a chance you would be here."

Kakuzu glanced in the direction of Hidan, who was now fighting Sakura, Lee, and Gaara ferociously. "You see, Naruto-san, I never liked my partner. Always blithering on about faith and redemption and punishment and all that bullshit. We fight too often to be productive, so the leader sent us here on a little mission. Before we left though, he told me that you might be here. And if you did come, I should leave with Hidan." Kakuzu grinned. Naruto shook his head.

"You obviously are going to leave him to the 'mercy' of Gaara, but why? Akatsuki only has, like, five members left! Four, when we kill this 'Hidan' person," Naruto said, confused.

Kakuzu, rather uncharacteristically, winked.

Then he exploded.

It would have been rather comical if the blast wasn't the equivalent of several exploding tags going off. The ensuing heat and force knocked Naruto across the village.

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata shouted, hurtling after her boyfriend, who had slammed onto yet another rooftop.

Sasuke also began to follow, but noticed something about the 'remains' of Kakuzu.

There was no evidence. In fact, the only thing the Akatsuki left behind was a small note. Sasuke stared at it, then approached it cautiously when his Sharingan told him there was no chakra on the paper. He picked it up, then paled.

"_This explosion brought to you courtesy of Deidara."_

Sasuke looked behind him at Naruto, who was rising groggily aided by Hinata.

_What the hell is going on?_ Sasuke wondered.

* * *

And that's all! For now, at any rate. Now I'm gonna update my other incomplete story, and then I'll work on this one! Maybe I'll do both at the same time, if my head doesn't explode first!

Hope you enjoyed! Stay in touch for more!

Guybrush007


	22. One Crazy Circus of a Life

Crap, but this chapter is really short! However, I had this mad urge to update, so here's another one! Hope the update reaches you!

Chapter 22 - A Lot of Fluff

* * *

Sasuke leapt across the sandy buildings to where Lee, Sakura, and Gaara had reached an impasse with Hidan. Neither wanted to move and risk the wrath of the other.

"Damn that Kakuzu!" Hidan swore. "Where the #$ is that bastard?"

Lee shook his head. "You shouldn't use such language!" he shouted.

Hidan laughed. "Heh. Whatever. Oh look, here comes the precious Uchiha."

Sasuke landed in front of them. "Take a break Lee, Sakura. I'll finish him off."

"No, you won't," Naruto said as he and Hinata landed beside Sasuke. Before anyone could react, Naruto punched a fist towards Hidan.

"HA! Too far away you stupid-OOF!" Hidan began, though he was interrupted by the fearsome tail of chakra which erupted from Naruto's arm, slamming Hidan into the wall behind him. He grinned.

"That didn't hurt at all," Hidan drawled, to which Naruto only grinned evilly.

"I know; you claim to be immortal, but let's see how you feel when I carve up your body into bite-sized chunks, and then mash your head into a tiny pulp. Or, better yet, I can have my friend here go into your head and destroy your mind." Naruto laughed. "Or you can tell me what I need to know."

Hidan glared at the blonde. "Not a chance." He tried to leap up and swing his overly-large scythe at Naruto, who sighed.

"Wrong answer," he said as eight more tails of chakra exploded out of him and wrapped around Hidan, who began to curse fluently.

"What the hell! What the hell is this shit!" he yelled uselessly.

"Kyuubi," Naruto answered. "Now, let me tell you something: I don't like you. In fact, I hate Akatsuki so much that it is taking every ounce of discipline and training that I have to keep myself from killing you now. However, I need information, and I know that despite how powerful you claim to be, no one on Earth has ever stood up to an interrogation session with Morino Ibiki."

Hidan grinned. "Up yours, brat. Tell me, are you even done puberty yet?"

"Kakuzu is gone. Not dead, gone. In fact, he was never here. He just exploded, and rather magnificently I must say. However, he left a note, or rather someone left a note saying that he was a clone from Deidara. Explain now."

Hidan stared at Naruto, then craned his neck to look at where Kakuzu was supposed to be. Not seeing his partner, Hidan returned his gaze to Naruto.

"This goes against everything Akatsuki stands for, but-AAAARRRRRGH!"

Naruto ducked yet again as another explosion rocked Suna. People were starting to come out of their homes, thinking the show was over, when it began to rain.

Naruto grimaced. "That's disgusting."

Behind him, Hinata stared as a piece of flesh landed on her arm. She retched.

Naruto stared, focusing his always activated Shirugan on the cloak where Hidan had once stood. Amazed that the cloak was still intact, Naruto detected a few stray strands of chakra. Bending closer to examine, and ignoring the protests of his friends to step away from the volatile site, Naruto picked up the cloak. As he did so, he heard a soft thump on the sand beneath his feet. Tossing the cloak aside, he saw a small ring.

He grinned. "Finally, a lead…" he muttered. But as he bent down to pick it up, it began to glow ominously. He jumped back as a hologram sprang to life from the ring. A shadowy figure with reddish eyes gazed out from under a mop of what appeared to be brown hair. A cloak with cloud designs framed his small figure.

"Uzumaki Naruto," a voice rasped. "So good to finally meet you."

"A shame I can't say the same," Naruto remarked. "That was you that just killed Hidan, wasn't it?"

"Yes, though his consciousness probably still exists. However, with his body separated into very small pieces, it cannot affect the living world any longer. So yes, I killed Hidan. Surely you know I cannot have members of my organization simply spouting out information, now can I? I have it bad enough with that perverted Sannin running around and sticking his bloody nose in my business."

Naruto stared. Something was off about this man. "Who are you?"

"Ah-ah-ah!" the man exclaimed. "I can't let you know that yet. Suffice to say: I am the leader of the organization known as Akatsuki. You are now responsible for the elimination of five of my members, one of whom I believe is now returned to your village?"

Naruto glared. "Yes, though I only killed Orochimaru. Sasori and Deidara got themselves killed by the snake bastard. Or so I thought; what the hell was with the exploding clay human, hmm?"

The most powerful man in the world laughed. "Oh, you liked it? Well, as you may have guessed, one of my many specialties is making clones of those who wear the ring of Akatsuki." As the leader said this, the ring that was creating the projection rose into the air and began to spin. "However, I am sad to say this conversation must be continued another time, for I have urgent business to attend to. So I leave you with this parting gift: some information. The remaining four members and I have already absorbed a bijuu. Our mission in that sense is complete, and now we have only one goal."

"What the hell are you doing!" Naruto exploded. "Who do you think you are to treat the jinchuuriki like trash! WHAT ARE YOU PLANNING!"

"Until next time, Uzumaki Naruto," the leader said as he and ring alike disappeared.

Naruto stood motionless, staring at the air where the man who had orchestrated most of his trouble over the past few years stood.

Gaara moved to stand next to him. "Thank you for your assistance, Naruto."

Naruto nodded mutely and turned to face his team. Sakura and Hinata looked upon him with concern, while Sasuke and Lee were speaking with two Sand ninja who had come to see what all the fun was about. All four of them looked exhausted but were trying desperately not to show it.

Naruto turned to Gaara once again. "Kazekage-sama, would you lodge us for the night? My team is reaching their limit after the trip here and then combat."

Gaara chuckled softly, earning a surprised look from Naruto. "Of course; what else could I say? You saved my life, and you think I would deny you shelter? C'mon, I'll show you where you'll be staying."

Naruto grinned and clapped a hand to Gaara's shoulder. "You've changed, haven't you?"

Gaara let a small smile crack his mask. "Understatement of the day goes to: Uzumaki Naruto!"

Naruto mock-glared. "Whatever. Remind me to fight you before my team and I leave."

Gaara nodded, and Naruto motioned to his team. Hinata ran up and linked her arm with Naruto's and together they all followed the Shadow of Sand to his mansion, though Naruto was interested in Gaara's change in demeanor from the last time they had met.

When they arrived at Gaara's mansion, Kankurou stood in the middle of the Kazekage's office, panting heavily.

"Gaara!" he exclaimed when he saw that his brother had returned from the fight.

"Rest easy, Kankurou," Gaara replied. "With the help of Naruto's team I was able to defeat the Akatsuki member; however, this is hardly a victory as we have discovered that their leader and the remaining members have already absorbed bijuu into their charka system, meaning that they are even more powerful than before. However, I think I have a solution."

Naruto perked up at this, disentangling himself from Hinata to stand directly in front of Gaara.

"What? What is it?" Naruto asked, hopping from one foot to the other.

Gaara gave him an odd look before continuing. "Think, baka. If Akatsuki have five bijuu, and we have two, then…"

Naruto added two and two and got four. Then he proceeded to perform other complicated mental mathematics until he yelped, "That means there are still two of us left!"

Gaara nodded. "Correct. Though this means Akatsuki actually has two goals, though perhaps the leader didn't consider it too important. We need to find the remaining two jinchuuriki and bring them to Konoha where-"

"Wait a minute! Why can't they stay in Sunagakure! They'd be safer in a remote location," Kankurou reasoned.

"Don't let your pride distort your judgment, brother," Gaara reminded. "Remember, Konoha is now home to the two remaining Legendary Sannin, one of whom is an expert on Akatsuki. Also, their apprentices, Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke," Gaara went on, pointing to the former members of Team 7, "are Konoha nin. Furthermore, Naruto, if he so desired, could destroy this village and everyone in it, including myself, in the span of three heartbeats. Now, where is safest?" Gaara finished with a smug smile.

Naruto's mouth dropped open. "Gaara, you know that-"

"That's not the point, Naruto," Gaara replied, reassuming his stoic visage. "You and I both know that Konoha is the safest haven against Akatsuki and, as Kazekage, I must put the safety of a ninja above the pride of my village. If you ever intend to become Hokage, Naruto, remember that."

Naruto nodded. "Thank you for you confidence, Gaara-sama. My team and I will return to Konoha at once. Upon our return, we will immediately organize a mission to find the remaining two jinchuuriki."

Sasuke stared at Naruto and nudged Sakura with an elbow, who in turn faced him.

"When did Naruto change like this? It's almost like he's a completely different person," Sasuke whispered. Sakura glared at him.

"He changed while you were gone, Sasuke. He became the ninja he always wanted to be, and has earned the respect of the village of Konoha, something you have lost," Sakura whispered back. Sasuke frowned, returning his stare to Naruto, who was now bowing to the Kazekage, though he returned his gaze to the ceiling when Naruto turned around once more.

"Let's go home," he said simply.

As they left Gaara's office, Naruto pulled Hinata back. She spun around and faced him, wondering.

Naruto smiled gently. "You know, from here on out we'll be dealing with shinobi far more powerful than anything we've ever faced."

Hinata nodded, understanding flooding her awareness. "And you want to tell me that if something should happen to you, I should continue living my life and keep striving to be happy? Is that it, oh boyfriend of mine?"

Naruto was shocked. "Ummmm… yes?" He shut his eyes as Hinata's hand went for his face, then opened them a crack when he felt no force. Instead, he felt her soft palms place themselves over his whisker marks.

"Naruto, my life would never be the same without you in it. That's why I'm going to protect you no matter what! And that's a promise. And you better help me keep it!" She finished, waving a mock-threatening finger in Naruto's face.

Naruto grinned, captured the finger in one hand, and before she could react, kissed Hinata deeply. Before she could even think, he pulled away, grinning once more.

"C'mon, we're gonna make them wonder," Naruto said, pulling the now dazed Hinata along.

Gaara watched from his window as Naruto's team departed from Suna. He turned away as a knock sounded at his door. Baki, Jounin of the Sand, entered.

"Gaara-sama, we have the locations of the remaining jinchuuriki," He stated, saluting.

"Send the information to Konoha immediately," Gaara replied.

"Hai, Gaara-sama," Baki nodded, and activated the Shunshin jutsu, poofing away.

Gaara sighed as he sat down at his desk.

_And may Kami-sama help us all_.

* * *

Again, I apologize for the delay and the shortness of the chapter. I hope ye enjoyed it; more to come! 


	23. Shocking Revelations

Hello, everybody, look who's back again!

I really need to be better about these update things. It's making me angry too, though I wonder if anyone out there still cares.

Those of you who haven't taken me off their alerts, thanks for coming back. It sure as hell has been awhile, so I hope this is worth it. It's not as long as I wanted it to be (it never is, is it?), but I hope it will suffice for now.

Here's the next chapter!

* * *

Chapter 22: Shocking Revelations

After several days of hard traveling, Naruto and his team arrived at the gates of Konoha where they were welcomed by a sight that Sasuke would never forget.

Uchiha Itachi, possessor of the Mangekyou Sharingan, master of Taijutsu, Genjutsu, and Ninjutsu, was shaking his head helplessly as a team of genin were harassing the gate watchers.

"You two have no idea of my power! I will be the seventh Hokage!" a familiar voice shouted.

_Konohamaru?_ Naruto thought excitedly.

Itachi removed his hand from his vest to let it fidget with his new jounin vest. "Why the seventh Hokage? Don't you mean the sixth?"

Konohamaru turned around and grinned at his sensei. "Nope. The Sixth Hokage will be Naruto!"

Itachi smiled as Naruto burst into laughter. Then, he got an idea.

"Hey, Konohamaru, catch!" Naruto shouted, and before Hinata could stop him or Sakura could smite him dead, Naruto threw a kunai at his old friend. Without even looking in his direction, Konohamaru caught the kunai between two fingers.

"Ha! Nice try boss, but… hey, what's with this kunai?" the young Sarutobi asked, confused. The kunai Naruto threw was long, with two extra points flanking the main tip, a scroll seemingly wrapped around the extra long handle.

Itachi's eyes widened. "Naruto you didn't-"

But before anyone would react Naruto was standing next to Konohamaru, fist driving down into his head.

"NOOGIE!" Naruto yelled delightedly. Konohamaru yelped and tried to jump away, laughing.

Itachi stared in disbelief.

_Naruto just used the Yondaime's trademark jutsu, Hiraishin no jutsu (Flying Thunder God Technique)._

_Naruto just became the new yellow flash._

_Naruto just used the most powerful jutsu in the world to give a genin a noogie._

As these thoughts ran through Itachi's head, Sasuke stepped forward. "Naruto, when did you learn that technique? It's faster than _I_ could see, though I can see clearly in Shunshin…"

Naruto laughed. "Only an Uzumaki can learn that technique."

Hinata was puzzled though. "Naruto-kun, why didn't you use the Shirugan?"

Naruto chuckled, but it was cut short as he began to cough. He fell forward but was caught by Konohamaru. "BOSS!" he yelled.

"Y'see Hinata, all power comes at a cost," Naruto explained. "I'm about to pay mine; I was wondering when this was going to happen. When I absorbed the Kyuubi, my chakra coils really weren't ready for it, despite their accelerated growth by my… the Yondaime's seal. So all the chakra I've been using has really been on loan from the Kyuubi. He actually is not gone, and I've been borrowing his massive chakra coils to store his chakra. Now…"

Naruto coughed some more and Hinata, who had now crouched by his side, combed her hand through his hair soothingly. Naruto closed his eyes in bliss, then continued. "What this means is that my chakra coils are ready to absorb the Kyuubi. This will take a huge strain on my body, and I probably won't be conscious for a few days. Sasuke," Naruto said suddenly, eyes widening.

"What do you need me to do?" Sasuke replied immediately.

"Take care of Hinata-chan and Sakura for me, would you? I have a feeling this will last longer than I want it to." With those words, Naruto slumped in Konohamaru's arms, his katana Makai's sheath digging painfully into his stomach.

"NARUTO-KUN!" Hinata yelled, taking the blonde from Konohamaru. "Sakura, can you run a diagnostic on him?"

Sakura's hands were already glowing green and she placed them on Naruto's head, moving downwards as she scanned his body. After she reached his feet, she stood up, brushing her hands off.

"Naruto's fine, as usual. He's in a coma, though, and his chakra coils are working like mad to absorb all that chakra. He'll be fine in a few days, so let's get him to Tsunade-shishou's mansion; I'm sure she'll want to keep him under close observation in case the Kyuubi tries anything funny."

Hinata nodded and picked up her boyfriend bridal-style, giggling softly at the irony now that the danger had passed. Sakura followed, with Lee in tow. Sasuke made to follow, but Itachi stopped him.

"How was your mission?" Itachi asked awkwardly. Sasuke went rigid.

"Ummmmm… fine, I guess. We killed one of your old friends, so…" Sasuke trailed off, a sense of awkwardness overwhelming him.

Itachi nodded in understanding. "Well, once I finish up with these brats, why don't we get some lunch together. I have a feeling we'll have a lot to talk about."

Sasuke nodded, but otherwise made no reply. Itachi went on, encouraged somewhat. "Meet me at Ichiraku's at midday?"

"Inf." Sasuke replied, nodding again and turning to catch up with his friends.

_Teammates, _he reminded himself sadly. _I don't have the right to call them friends again yet, if ever again._

_

* * *

_

Naruto found himself once again in the prison of Kyuubi within himself. He made his way through the familiar corridors, wondering what the great demon lord had in store for him this time.

As he approached the cage of the 9-tailed fox he realized that the pair of evil red eyes were no longer staring out at him.

"Oy, Kyuubi!" Naruto yelled. "Where the hell are you?"

"_Here_," a voice whispered right behind him. Naruto jumped forward, howling, spinning around to see who it was.

Standing before Naruto, and outside his cage, was a smaller, more normal fox-sized Kyuubi. Naruto stared for a moment.

"Don't ask," Kyuubi warned. "I can explain. Sit, kit. This will take awhile."

Naruto complied uneasily, not wanting to sit in the puddle of Kami-knows-what that usually coated the cage floor when he realized that he was sitting on cold, yet undeniably dry, stone.

"Good. Now pay attention, because after this little conversation you will wake up and I will no longer exist," Kyuubi continued. "Now-"

"Whoa! What was that? You won't exist anymore?" Naruto asked worriedly. Despite the nature of the Kyuubi, Naruto realized that he had come to depend on the demon as one of the few constants in his shinobi life.

The Kyuubi nodded. "Yes, Naruto. I will no longer exist. That means it falls to me as the lord of Demons to explain to you the conflict that threatens to destroy the life you know."

Naruto made it as clear as he could that he was paying very close attention.

"As you know there are nine tailed demons. They are essentially, as you do _not_ know, large masses of chakra with very special abilities. When the mortal world became aware of their existence, humans attempted to harness their power as their own. For the most part they were surprisingly successful, discounting the fact that the early jinchuuriki either died early deaths or went insane and were controlled by their bijuu. Eventually the method of sealing bijuu within infants improved, and jinchuuriki survived long enough to be useful to their shinobi village."

Naruto looked puzzled, so Kyuubi answered the predictable question. "You and I were a special case. Your father, Arashi the Yondaime Hokage, sealed me within you using a never-before-seen seal thanks to that Shirugan of yours, landing me in the situation we have now: you are, for the most part, normal. Most of your suffering was not a direct result of me being sealed within you, but rather because of the misunderstanding of your pathetic villagers; I still don't understand why you haven't razed the place to the ground. Gaara was right when he said you could."

Naruto glared at Kyuubi, who just laughed. "Anyways, you now know that the five remaining members of Akatsuki are now jinchuuriki, though I know for a fact that they have yet to realize the special powers of each of their bijuu. This is because when a bijuu is sealed within an adult, the advantage lies in the complete control of the bijuu's chakra, while the disadvantage is a longer wait to discover the bijuu's power."

Naruto nodded. "So for now, Akatsuki is once again waiting."

Kyuubi shook its head, tails twitching. "Yes and no. While they are waiting to enact their plan, whatever it is, they will use this time wisely. How many jinchuuriki are left besides you and Gaara?"

Naruto's eyes widened, Shirugan gleaming. "Only two! And we… I guess, the remaining jinchuuriki, are already at a disadvantage! If Akatsuki kills the last two…"

"Their victory will be assured," Kyuubi finished grimly. "I don't know what you are thinking, Naruto, but you need to find those jinchuuriki. Fortunately for you, I know where they are."

Naruto almost jumped to his feet with excitement. "Where? Where are they?" he shouted.

Kyuubi growled, diminishing Naruto's excitement. "Don't get so excited. One has been hiding in the Wave country, so you won't have any trouble getting there; they love you, if I recall correctly. However, the other one is hiding in the Village of Rock."

Naruto looked puzzled, then paled as white as a ghost. "Oh, shit! The Shinobi war! And my father was…! Oh, SHIT!" Naruto swore angrily. "That's gonna be one bitch of a mission!"

Kyuubi eyed Naruto, amused by his words. _Just when you think you have the boy figured out…_ Kyuubi thought. Returning his attention to his task at hand, Kyuubi nodded. "Yes, that mission will be difficult, though infiltration and searching will not be difficult. The real trick will be convincing them to return to Konoha with you, especially concerning the one from Rock."

Naruto nodded. Then…

"Kyuubi, when will I wake up?"

Kyuubi tried to laugh, though it came out as a throaty growl. "In a few days. Your village will be fine, though. Konoha has some pretty powerful ninja; even I see that. I have to admit, I miss the days when a shinobi was only as good as his taijutsu and his wits. Life was a lot simpler then. Now chakra manipulation is all the rage; even that Rock Lee fellow uses it to a degree beyond the ancient taijutsu specialist. Anyways, let me wrap this up; I can feel my essence draining away like water through a strainer."

"Ouch," Naruto commented softly. Kyuubi waved a paw.

"It's not so bad. But listen: you will retain my abilities, so those tails of chakra will stay. However, all power comes with a price, as you will discover for yourself."

Naruto's eyes widened once again. "Kyuubi, what's going to happen to my body?"

Kyuubi shook his head, impressed again. _I must be going soft,_ he thought. Aloud, he said, "You're getting smarted, Naruto. Unfortunately, I can't tell you because I don't know what will happen. The change could be anywhere from more pronounced whisker marks to full-blown half-demon form."

Naruto appeared shocked for a minute, then nodded in acceptance. "Kyuubi, you are the lord of all demons and the master of destruction. Also, you are indirectly the source of an eleven-year living hell. Still, I can't find it in me to hate you." Naruto wanted to continue, but Kyuubi forestalled him with an upright paw.

"I know what you're going to say. I don't know what it is about you, Naruto, but everyone you meet ends up liking you in some way. This includes me. You have a capacity for destruction that may one day rival me, and yet beyond that you are so generous and compassionate that even I am bewildered. Your village doesn't deserve you as their Hokage," Kyuubi finished.

Naruto stared, awed. "That was… extremely uncharacteristic," he replied. "I hate to see you like this. Quick, before you run out of time! Try to kill me or something!"

The Kyuubi did laugh at that, his guffaws booming off the stone walls. Naruto wondered how a fox laughed.

"Naruto, I've lived far longer than you could ever count. Faced with inevitable finality, I cannot deny what I see and know to be true. So my comments stand. Remember: Wave and Rock. Go as soon as you wake up, and don't bring anyone if you can help it. Sasuke maybe, but anyone else will be a burden and you know it." When Naruto nodded, Kyuubi grinned ferally. "And now I take my leave. 'Least I don't have to hear you whine anymore… good-bye, kit."

* * *

Naruto opened his eyes to a strangely familiar site.

_This is the hospital room I was sent to after the Battle at the Valley of the End!_ He recognized vaguely. _That was a long time ago…_

Naruto took that moment to reflect on how far he had come in the years that had passed, from a genin with a death wish to a powerful jounin with virtually limitless chakra and special powers to boot.

_I miss the days when a shinobi was only as good as his taijutsu and his wits. Life was a lot simpler, then._

Naruto thought on those words for awhile, realizing how true they were. Great plots of war and death, powers unknown and terrifying to behold…. Naruto truly wondered whether there would ever be a return to such simplicity while humans, himself included, wielded such power.

"Mmmmmmmm…" a voice murmered softly, forcing Naruto to fully take in his surroundings.

As in the undeniable fact that Hinata had faceplanted into his hospital bed in a sleep-deprived stupor. Henceforth a terrible battle was waged within Naruto. He imagined two clones arguing, one in full Kyuubi mode, the other as a little Naruto:

"_C'mon, let's play a prank on her!" Kyuubi-Naruto said happily._

"_Aw, that'd be mean! Hinata-chan wouldn't like it, and she'd be mad at us and upset. We don't wanna make Hinata-chan upset!" Child-Naruto replied._

"_But we haven't played a prank in ages!" Kyuubi-Naruto howled. "I wanna play a prank!"_

"_I won't let you! Believe it!" Child-Naruto yelled back._

_Kyuubi-Naruto snorted. "That was stupid! 'Believe it!'? Are you serious? How lame!"_

_They disappeared from Naruto's mind's eye as their fight kicked up a cloud of dust._

Naruto decided that he shouldn't upset his girlfriend, and so he tapped her gently on the shoulder.

"Hey, Hinata-chan… hey! Wake up, sleepy-head!" Naruto said playfully as he shook her gently.

"Murmmmm… Naru-Kun?" Hinata said sleepily. She leaned back into her chair and rubbed her eyes, focusing on her first and only love.

Naruto watched as her eyes widened. Faster than Naruto thought she could move, Hinata kicked herself from her chair, whipping out two kunai and prepping them for launch. "What did you do with Naruto-kun? BYAKUGAN!" She screamed, activating her kekkai genkai.

"Whoa! Hinata-chan, what's going on? It's me, Uzumaki Naruto!" Naruto protested, making no move to defend himself.

Hinata lowered her kunai hesitantly. "Your chakra signature _looks _the same… what is the name of the proctor for your first test in the chuunin exam you took?"

Naruto laughed. "I have no idea, but I remember I sat next to you. You offered to let me cheat, but I declined out of honor and pride. I passed without writing down anything, remember?"

Hinata nodded, and put her kunai away; however, she made no move towards the bed. Naruto noticed her hesitation immediately.

"Hinata-chan, what's wrong?" Naruto asked anxiously. Wordlessly, Hinata pointed to the mirror next to her without taking her eyes off her boyfriend.

Naruto got up shakily and stood in front of the mirror.

"Oh, Kami-sama…" He breathed. "Tsunade-baa-chan's gonna have a cow when she sees this…"

* * *

Heeheehee... if you're reading this, I hope you enjoyed it! Hopefully I'll have the next chapter up soon; it should be quicker since I know exactly what I need to write!

R&R, if you would! Your comments are greatly appreciated!

-Mike G


	24. The Announcement

Hey, y'all! I hope this next chapter came soon enough for all the impatient ones!

By the way, the urge to make Naruto's transformation either permanent or to make it so that it only appeared when he used demonic chakra was incredible, but I tried to take my own route instead of just doing the same-old.

Anyone read Manga Chapter 363 yet? W00t!

* * *

Chapter 23 – Laying it on the Line

Naruto stared at the mirror, slowly comprehending just what had happened to him as he absorbed the Kyuubi.

It was bad.

It was _really _bad.

"Damn," Naruto muttered, twitching his new fox ears and sending his new ponytail of red-black hair to swaying. He reached around behind, sighing with audible relief as he felt no tail. He held up his new claws which were protruding from his fingers and flexed them experimentally, then slashed at the mirror. So fine were their edges that the mirror did not shatter, but instead was gouged with four lines.

Naruto turned to Hinata and realized that she was extremely terrified.

"Hinata-chan, if you don't want to be around me anymore, I'll… I'll understand," Naruto said sadly. "I don't thing-OOF!"

He was cut off in mid-sentence as Hinata impacted with his chest. He caught a muffled "NO!" that seemed as if Hinata had simply said it; since her face was buried in his clothes, Naruto guessed the actual volume could have been heard by everyone in the village.

"Naruto, I don't care what you look like! Sure, it was a little scary at first, but as long as you're still you…" Hinata trailed off, then kissed him fiercely. After a few moments she pulled away, blushing. "Well… you get the idea," she finished lamely.

Naruto grinned and enveloped her in a full-body hug. When they separated, Naruto felt like he had to sneeze.

And so he did.

"ACH-HOOOOOOOOO!" He bellowed powerfully. Hinata covered her ears.

* * *

Tsunade, who was running down the hospital hallways with Shizune and Sakura in tow after hearing Hinata's scream earlier, stopped dead in her tracks, horrified.

"Tsunade-shishou, what's wrong?" Sakura asked.

"Nothing; we'd better hurry," Tsunade replied quickly, continuing down the hall and violently (the poor door was slammed against the wall so hard it cracked slightly) into Naruto's room.

Before her stood the same Naruto she had left earlier in the day, save for enhanced whisker markings and a reddish highlight to his otherwise normally blonde hair.

"Naruto, I expected a little more in the changing department," Tsunade said awkwardly. "But this is definitely preferable!"

Hinata opened her eyes to look at Naruto in amazement. Where were his fox ears or his claws or his outrageously sexy red-black hair?

Hinata caught that last thought and blushed furiously, which did not go unnoticed by Sakura.

"Hinata, did you help him hide anything?" Sakura asked playfully. Hinata shook her head, reverting somewhat to her old self.

Naruto decided to save his girlfriend from further embarrassment. "Sakura-chan, Tsunade-baa-chan, what happened while I was under? Oh, and how long was I out?"

Tsunade sighed. "Naruto sit down. This is going to hit pretty hard, I think."

Naruto went over and sat down on his bed and was accompanied by Hinata. "So what's been going on?" he asked more seriously.

Tsunade sighed. "Well, nothing happened the first day you were under. Sasuke and Itachi have been spending more time together, so that's good. However, yesterday afternoon a report flew in from Grass country." She trailed off, searching for the words.

Naruto's eyes, which were his normal shade of cerulean, narrowed. "What was in that report?"

Tsunade sighed. "Grass country has been attacked and overwhelmed by hundreds of ninja, quote, 'wearing black cloaks with red clouds on them'. You'd think after all this trouble with the bijuu abductions people would realized that it's Akatsuki."

"But how on earth did they manage to get so many members?" Naruto interrupted. "It's just not possible."

Tsunade shook her head. "The ninja of Grass evacuated their civilians and the majority of their ninja forces and are heading towards Fire Country; they have applied for refuge from the Fire Lord but that reply is not forthcoming yet. If he agrees, he'll most likely send them here. But anyways: one line in the report mentioned that all the ninja seemed to look alike. Many of them had either blonde hair in a ponytail, or were wielding enormous two-handed swords that 'shaved' ninja in two."

Naruto's eyes widened. "Kisame and Deidara!? But they were both killed! How can this be possible for there to be multiples? I-" he cut himself off abruptly, thinking and remembering.

_One of my many specialties is making clones of those who wear the ring of Akatsuki_

"Oh, no…" Naruto breathed, clutching Hinata's hand. "Tsunade, we have a huge problem."

"And what's that?" Tsunade replied sharply. "We have enough of those with Akatsuki on the move, and trying to figure out the source of all their men."

Naruto shook his head. "That's the problem. When we were fighting Akatsuki in Suna, the leader appeared in some sort of fuzzy… projection. He told me that his specialty lies in making clones of anyone who wears the Akatsuki ring."

Tsunade frowned, then almost fainted; only years of a shinobi lifestyle stopped that. "So you're saying that…"

Naruto nodded. "We can only hope that he can't anymore because of the interference of a bijuu's chakra, but yeah: Kami-sama knows how many clones he has created."

Tsunade shook her head in exasperation. "Normally I would create a mission for the assassination of their leader, but we have no idea where he or Akatsuki are, and Jiraiya hasn't returned from his scouting mission yet."

Naruto grinned, activating his Shirugan. "I think I can help with that. Before Kyuubi left, he told me that the only way to fight Akatsuki was to get the remaining… jinchuuriki… to Konoha and ally them to our fight," he said, spitting out the word 'jinchuuriki' as if it were poison.

Sakura nodded thoughtfully. "That's a pretty good idea, and it seems to me like the only lead we've got going right now; however, we have no idea where they are."

Naruto grinned again, but let it fade as he caught Tsunade staring at his eyes intently. "Hey baa-chan, what's the matter? Enraptured with my good looks?"

"Naruto, deactivate and then reactivate your Shirugan," she commanded.

Naruto shrugged and complied, eliciting several gasps. "What? What's going on?" he asked worriedly.

"Naruto, your…" Sakura trailed off.

"Your Shirugan is red now. Do you see anything different?" Hinata said bluntly.

Naruto looked around the room, noticing that everything seemed sharper, as if in a higher resolution. "Yeah, it's easier to see chakra now. Cool!" he said boyishly. Hinata giggled.

"I'm sure that's not the only change, but do you know what this means?" Tsunade asked him sharply, staring intently at his now-red Shirugan.

Naruto nodded. "Yeah; I'll explain it to the team when we're on the road."

Tsunade nodded. "Naruto, what were you grinning about earlier? Do you know where the last… of your friends are?" she asked hopefully.

Naruto nodded. "Kyuubi's sensed them, but never told me 'cause I didn't need to know. One of them is in the Country of Waves, so going there won't be a problem."

"Yeah! We can go see Tazuna and Inari-kun again!" Sakura exulted. _Boo-yah!_ Inner-Sakura contributed happily.

"And the second?" Tsunade pressed. Naruto immediately sobered up.

After a long pause: "The second is in Rock Country," he said solemnly.

Sakura and Hinata were immediately frightened as both Naruto and the esteemed Hokage seemed ready to explode with rage. "Hokage-sama, why is this bad?" Hinata asked timidly.

"Because, as you should know, the Rock country was home to the ninja village with whom Konoha was engaged with in the Great Shinobi war. Rock ninja killed my little brother and my… my lover. But Naruto's father, the Yondaime Hokage, essentially won that war for us by using the Hiraishin no jutsu in critical battles, hence the nickname 'the Yellow Flash'. I can't even begin to count how many Rock ninja fell to Arashi-sama," Tsunade finished with no small amount of satisfaction.

Then, Naruto proved he was his age (17). "Tsunade, no matter how many people die, Dan and Nawaki will not come back," he said wisely. "That course will only bring suffering."

Tsunade sighed. "I know. Now, let's get down to business. Naruto, I want you and a three-man team to go to Wave Country to locate and retrieve the… your friend there and bring him or her to Konoha."

"Hai," he replied. "Sakura-chan, Hinata-chan, let's go find Sasuke-teme. We'll need his eyes," he said as he headed for the door. Sakura and Hinata 'hai'd' in response and made to follow.

"Naruto, wait here one moment. Sakura and Hinata, find Sasuke and meet Naruto by the South Gate in ten minutes, ready to journey to Wave country." Tsunade ordered. "Naruto come here."

Naruto returned to the bed. "I hate hospitals," he muttered grumpily.

Tsunade frowned. "I know. But this needs to be said."

Naruto looked up, wondering what could be so serious.

"Naruto, I've gave it a lot of thought, and you have no idea how difficult this decision was, because believe it or not there are more than a couple candidates for Hokage in this village," Tsunade began, her frown changing slowly into a smile as Naruto began to catch on.

Naruto held his breath, stunned, as she continued. "Naruto, I hereby declare you the Rokudaime Hokage."

Naruto sat rock still for a moment, not daring to believe it. Shakily, he stopped all chakra flow to his brain and body, then expelled chakra forcefully in the method Jiraiya taught him for breaking genjutsu. In a rush of wind he attempted to dispel… something, leaving Tsunade more than a little flustered.

"Naruto, what the hell was that all about?" Tsunade asked, amused. Naruto shook his head.

"This is a genjutsu or something, isn't it? It's a terrible joke!" he shouted. Tsunade smiled and shook her head.

"Nope. No genjutsu, no jokes. I got the Council to agree to your appointment if, and I quote, 'he is successful in eliminating the threat Akatsuki poses to the village'. Since there won't be any Konoha left if you fail, I figured that was okay," Tsunade said happily.

Naruto sat staring at the floor, shocked beyond all reason. "I'm gonna be Hokage…" he breathed. He looked Tsunade in the eye. "I'm… I'm gonna be Hokage?" he asked hopefully. In response Tsunade enveloped him in a hug, unsurprised by the wetness that accumulated on her shoulder.

"Yeah, Naruto. You're gonna be Hokage. Congratulations," she whispered softly, feeling Naruto smile fiercely into her shoulder. She wiped a tear of her own away as she chuckled. _Guess that necklace isn't so unlucky anymore,_ she thought as she felt it press into her stomach.

They separated, and Tsunade kissed him on the forehead. "Get your gear, kid. You've still got work to do!" she ordered, suddenly becoming official-like. Naruto saluted smartly.

"Osu!" he shouted, smiling broadly. Then, like a whirlwind, he was dressed, equipped, and out the door, Makai's sheath banging on the frame as he left.

Tsunade smiled and walked to the door to watch the boy who had become like a brother-… no, like a son to her run down the hospital hallway, jumping and skipping every now and then to the amusement of the hospital staff.

_You deserve it, kiddo. More than anyone else in this beautiful village. More than me, more than Sarutobi-sensei, Grandpa, OR his friend._

Tsunade caught herself. _Well, maybe Arashi deserved it as much as you did. Damn good ninja, damn good leader._

She thought about it come more._ Damn, he was hot_, she thought, lost in thoughts of the great man.

* * *

Naruto ran through the streets of Konoha. Everyone he passed had a hello or a 'how you doin'?' to toss to him with a smile, and he waved back as he hurtled towards South Gate, though there was no way they could have known about the appointment.

_I've done it,_ he thought, bewildered. _I earned their respect. I earned their recognition…_

With a howl of happiness he leapt into the air, jumping ten feet straight up without chakra, an incredible feat for anyone, and landed only to do it again, yelling one word over and over again to the amusement (and very slight annoyance) of the village:

"YATTA!"

* * *

Meanwhile, Sakura, Hinata, and Sasuke waited by the South gate. Hinata and Sakura chatted amiably, while Sasuke stared north, watching for the dobe. When he groaned loudly (for Sasuke), Sakura looked up to the north as well.

"Oh good, here comes Naruto," Sakura observed.

And come he did, not stopping until he enveloped Sakura in a bone-crushing hug, which lasted until he ran over to Sasuke to do the same,

"Get off me, dobe," Sasuke muttered, muffled by Naruto's… body. He did, only to sweep Hinata off her feet and scorch her with a kiss that made her head swoon with dizziness until he put her down.

"Naruto what's gotten into you!" Sakura shouted, bopping him on the head. However, unlike previous beatings, Naruto did not fall over but instead grinned and shouted:

"IMGONABETHEHOKAGE!"

Now, normal civilians who haven't had shinobi training not have understood that, but Sasuke, Hinata, and Sakura were all ninja. Thus, they were struck dumb by Naruto's clear and concise announcement.

"Naruto… what did you just say?" Sakura asked, for clarification.

Naruto grinned so wide he thought his face would split. "I'm gonna be the Rokudaime Hokage, by order of Tsunade-baa-chan and the eventual approval of the Council of Elders of Konoha," he recited happily. He looked at his friends expectantly.

Sakura began to tear up. "Naruto that's… that's amazing! CONGRATULATIONS!" she shouted, launching herself at him to hug him. He went over backwards, laughing hysterically until he felt to more bodies collide with his and Sakura's, eliciting 'oomfs'.

"Naruto, that's so wonderful! I'm so happy for you!" Hinata cried, giving him a big kiss on the cheek.

But what made Naruto happiest of all was when it was said quietly: "Way to go, Naruto. You've earned it. You really have," Sasuke said, unable to keep the happiness and approval out of his voice.

To Naruto, it was as if nothing had happened, as if they were all genin again and just having a good time because the world was all fine and well.

Then, as if to add to the feeling of nostalgia, a poof was heard. The teammates separated and stood up expectantly.

"Yo," Kakashi said nonchalantly. "I heard the news, so I thought I'd stop by and wish Naruto congratulations."

Naruto grinned as Kakashi ruffled Naruto's blonde-red hair, even though Naruto was only a couple inches shorter than his old sensei.

"Thanks, Kakashi. Any other reason to stop by?" Naruto asked jokingly. Kakashi huffed.

"Can't an old teacher visit his students? Sakura, Sasuke," he added, nodding in greeting to each of them. "And Hinata, too." Hinata giggled.

Kakashi looked around at all of them. "Actually, I was on my way on a mission. I've been assigned to scout out the Hidden Village of Rock for you guys."

Naruto frowned. "If there was a rank higher than S-class, that's what that mission would be for you. Kakashi, what if they recognize you as the son of the White Fang of Konoha or worse, as the great Copy-Ninja Kakashi?"

Kakashi waved it away. "Naruto, I've been going on missions like these for years. Did you think I had nothing to do while you were with Jiraiya-sama training? I'll be fine, though I must admit I'll be glad when the mission's over. Speaking of which, I'd better get going. Say hi to Tazuna and Inari-kun for me! Ja!"

And he poofed away.

"He must have been a very… interesting sensei," Hinata offered as they left the South Gate.

"You have no idea," the three former members of Team 7 replied simultaneously, causing them all to laugh at the camaraderie of it all.

Naruto smiled widely as he led his team down the familiar path towards Wave Country. _This is the way it should be,_ he thought contentedly.

And then a hail of kunai flew out of the forest. Naruto whipped out three quick seals, shouting "Futon: Barrier no jutsu!" and watched the forest intently, searching for the ninja who had ambushed them as his wind shield scattered the kunai to the ground.

"Sakura, Sasuke, go on ahead and cut off any escape, then head back here to help Hinata and I. Hinata, you know what to do."

Hinata nodded, as Sakura and Sasuke raced off, and shouted, "Byakugan!" Instantly she picked out two chakra signatures, and after scanning the forest, shouted, "Sakura, Sasuke, there are only two of them! Come back!"

Naruto's eyes widened at the implications. _It can't be…_ he thought in disbelief as the ninja revealed themselves just as Sakura and Sasuke returned. When they saw who was coming out of the forest, Sakura snarled in anger and Sasuke 'hnfed' but glared at the two strangely dressed ninja.

"The Demon brothers of the Mist… damn, but this is like deja-vu all over again," Naruto said grimly, cracking his knuckles. "Hinata, Sakura, Sasuke… stand back. I've got a bone to pick with these two."

Sasuke watched as Naruto settled into a taijutsu stance, the red glow of his Shirugan casting an ominous light in the forest. _These guys are finished,_ He thought smugly.

* * *

And that's that! I promise, next chapter will have some real action in it!

R&R, the usual, yadda yadda yadda. Oh, and I'm working hard on Chapter 24 (25?) now that I'm done Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. FREAKIN' AMAZING! I'm still geekin' out about it.

Ja.


	25. Ridiculous Surprise

Hey-hey-hey! Here it is!

I really need to check out the new Naruto episodes... bummer, no time.

So, um... here ya go!

P.S. I posted the chapter last night, but didn't get the confirmation email. Impatient berk that I am I unposted, thinking that it was another error. Stupid, stupid, stupid... (bonks self on head).

* * *

Chapter 24 - Ridiculous Surprise 

"I don't have time to play with you guys," Naruto complained, and he disappeared, reappearing behind the brother's backs and planting a kunai in each of their necks.

The water clones 'splooshed' out of existence. "And neither do we," the brothers chorused back. "We're on a mission that doesn't concern you _or_ Konoha. But we must kill you for your insolence years ago." The brothers continued, pointing at Sasuke.

Naruto grinned. "Well, if you insist…" and he stepped aside, motioning for Sasuke to fight the Demon brothers.

Sasuke grinned, Sharingan meeting Shirugan, red eye to red eye.

Then Sasuke moved, moved so quickly that Naruto was surprised by the ferocity of the attack. In a split-second Sasuke was behind the Demon brothers, Kusanagi sliding out of its sheath for an iai attack.

The brother closest to the blade raised his metal gauntlet to block the blade, then grabbed it with the claws on his other hand, capturing it. "Got you," the other brother hissed as he thrust a kunai at Sasuke's head.

Sasuke groaned as yet another opponent believed that his hands were permanently attached to the handle of his katana, yet with the simple motion of releasing his grip, the sword was free of his hands. He stopped the kunai between two fingers, stealing all the strength from the charge. Simultaneously he brought his right knee into the stomach of the one holding his sword, and he doubled over. Not missing a step, Sasuke extended his leg and, in a show or strength, launched the first brother into the other who, to his credit, avoided the human missile as it crashed into a tree instead.

"Kuso!" he yelled as his previously airborn brother slumped to the ground, his head twisted at an odd angle. The remaining brother glared at Sasuke hatefully, brandishing his metal-covered hands.

Sasuke chuckled. "That was a lucky break," he said nonchalantly.

The brother became enraged. "I'LL KILL YOU!" he snarled and jumped at Sasuke-

-only to impale himself on Makai, wielded by Naruto as he grimly slipped the unfortunate shinobi from the blade, wiped it clean on his pants, and replaced it in its sheath.

"I wasn't kidding when I said we didn't have time," Naruto said lightly. "Though that was some pretty efficient fighting, Sasuke. Kind of anticlimactic though, y'know? Revenge for past crimes, yadda-yadda…" Naruto caught himself as he noticed the look in Sasuke's red eyes, as if he would explode.

"Heh-heh…" Sasuke chuckled, to Naruto's surprise. "I guess you're right. But we are shinobi; that fight lasted longer than it should have."

Sakura made a stutter. "What the hell does that mean?" she yelled, indignant at the fact that she had no idea what Sasuke was talking about. Naruto turned to her to explain, but Hinata beat him to it.

"Sakura, shinobi are killers. Konoha is probably the exception to the rule of shinobi being emotionless tools, but we should be more efficient than that. I learned that when I was mastering Jyuuken: no fight between a Hyuuga and a skilled opponent should last more than a few minutes for, while your opponent is skilled and likely a shinobi, we are still shinobi too, and that means we must fight efficiently and quickly. Dispatch your opponent with swiftness and victory will always be yours," Hinata recited. "It's one of the only things my father said to me when I was young that has stayed with me."

Naruto nodded, impressed. "Nicely said, Hinata-chan. Now c'mon, we've spent enough time here." And with that, the squad moved out.

* * *

The journey seemed longer to Naruto than last time, but that might have been because of the lack of action on the way. This time there was no Zabuza to harass them on the way. 

"Naruto, when are we going to take the boat over?" Sakura asked as they walked through the forest.

"Sakura, I can't believe you of all people have forgotten our mission to Wave Country years ago," Sasuke remarked. "Remember the bridge they built to the mainland? Why wouldn't we just walk across that?"

Sakura blushed. "Oh yeah… geez, what a klutz I am…"

She trailed off as the bridge came into view. It looked the same as it did all those years ago, with one change.

"The Great Naruto Bridge," Sakura read, disbelief filling every word. Sasuke simply shook his head, wondering just when he had fallen behind his re-found friend.

Naruto stared at the sign with awe. "Impossible… Tazuna seriously named the bridge after me?" He stared at the sign some more, than shook his head. "Nah, it must be a joke or something. C'mon everyone, let's go find Tazuna."

Hinata giggled. The sign was made of ornate rock and metal, meaning that it must carry some importance. _Naruto must be embarrassed that his other teammates weren't recognized somehow,_ she mused.

Sakura just stared at Naruto. The fact that he had matured had never been more plain. _You really will be a great Hokage, Naruto_, Sakura thought wistfully.

Sasuke walked alongside Naruto. "You deserve it, you know," the Uchiha said suddenly.

"What?" Naruto replied, curious. Sasuke smiled and looked to the horizon.

"When we fought Haku and Zabuza, you really did carry the day," Sasuke said softly, though Naruto could hear every word. "From your opening shuriken to the distraction you made in the ice prison…" Sasuke turned and looked Naruto in the eye, red meeting red once again. "The Bridge was baptized in your blood, Naruto. It has a good name."

Naruto smiled and bowed his head. "Thanks, Sasuke," he mumbled, and if Sasuke didn't know any better he could have sworn his Sharingan caught sight of something shiny falling from Naruto's eyes.

"Naruto, me boy! What in the hells brings you back to our little village!" a boisterous voice called out. "And Sakura and Sasuke too! Damn, if it isn't good to see y'all again!"

The former members of Team 7 stared. The "little village" was in fact close in size to Konoha. Their mouths fell open as they silently compared it to the Wave Village they remembered. Buildings clustered everywhere in a somewhat organized chaos. People laughed and chattered in the streets, and merchants and customers haggled boisterously, and a smiling old man wearing a straw hat was walking up to them.

"Jeez, old man Tazuna, but you sure got this place off the ground!" Naruto shouted happily. Tazuna shot him a mock glare, still smiling.

"That's _Mayor_ Tazuna, brat. Y'all have grown, but I'm still taller than ya! Well geez, where are my manners! My name is Mayor Tazuna, young lady," the grizzled bridge builder said as he bowed to Hinata.

Hinata returned it with a curtsy. "I am Hyuuga Hinata, Tazuna-sama. You are most gracious; my boyfriend could learn a thing or two from you," she said teasingly. Tazuna laughed.

"That he could, that he could!" Tazuna howled jovially, causing Naruto to glare and Sakura to laugh. Sasuke kept his mind focused, however.

"Tazuna-sama, it is good to see you well, but we have urgent business here in Wave. Could we go somewhere where we can speak in private?" Sasuke asked politely.

Tazuna nodded. "Come to my office. We can discuss matters there without being overheard."

* * *

As they sat at a large oak table Naruto took in the bridge builder he and Team 7 had once been hired to protect. He looked exactly the same, save for a few gray hairs around the ears. He also seemed slimmer, more muscular. Naruto approved. 

"So, old man Tazuna, you seem to be keeping well," Naruto said happily. Tazuna nodded.

"Yes. The village has prospered, thanks in no small part to you three. Though I have to admit, you've been causing me some trouble." And Tazuna pointed an accusing finger at Naruto, a gleam in his eye.

"Me?" Naruto asked innocently. "Tazuna, I've done a lot of things, but I don't recall having anything to do with-"

Suddenly, the door to the office burst open and a young man hustled in, saying something over Tazuna's protests at being interrupted.

"Tazuna-sama, they won't go away! I've tried everything, but they simply won't leave! Isn't there anything you can do?" the man said, obviously flustered.

Tazuna sighed. "Yes. We're going to hand him over for now. Naruto!" he said, so authoritatively that Naruto stood to attention without realizing it. "The lot of you, come with me. This should be funny," he said as he led a confused team of ninja out to the hallway and down the stairs to where they entered the town hall.

"Naruto, this is what I'm talking about," Tazuna said gravely as he opened the door and shoved him out.

"OH KAMI-SAMA, IT'S HIM! IT'S NARUTO!" the girl closest to him screamed.

Naruto paled.

Gathered outside the town hall were women.

Hundreds of them.

It was as if the entire female population of Wave had come to the town square. Ranging in age from 7 to 77, the girls clamored and waved at him incessantly until he panicked and shoved Tazuna aside in an effort to retreat.

Tazuna shut the door behind him and led them back upstairs. When they returned to the safety of Tazuna's office, Sakura burst into laughter, while Sasuke allowed himself a quiet chuckle. Hinata was furious.

"Naruto, just what in the world did you do when you came here!" she yelled. Tazuna laughed.

"Nothing at all, Hinata-san. Please sit down and don't kill your boyfriend. Men like him are hard to come by. Naruto has become somewhat of a celebrity figure, and it's been surprisingly hard to keep the general public focused on the growth of Wave. They keep wanting Naruto to come back, and the women all seem to want to propose marriage (and Kami-sama knows what else) to him," Tazuna explained. Hinata's fury vanished like a gust of wind. A moment of silence ensued.

"Hell hath no fury…" Naruto mumbled. Then aloud, "Tazuna, I'll get straight to the point. We're searching for someone reported to be in the area. Do you know of any… extraordinary people… ninjas, even, living around here?"

"You mean jinchuuriki?" Taznua replied bluntly. Sakura gasped.

"Yeah, I know who you are looking for," Tazuna said after a while. "And I have to ask: why?"

Naruto nodded. "War's coming, Tazuna. Has a large white-haired pervert told you about Akatsuki yet?" When Tazuna nodded, Naruto went on, ignoring incredulous looks from Sakura and Hinata and an interested one from Sasuke. "Their on the move. The remaining members all have demons inside of them, and the only things keeping them from attacking… something are the remaining bijuu and the fact that they don't have full control of their powers yet."

Tazuna nodded, apparently thinking it over. Finally, he said, "Fine. I'll tell you where you can find the demon-carrier, but don't get the idea that I have anything to do with it. It resists human contact; no one, not even I, has actually seen it. But it lives in a cave in the middle of the forest ten kilometers to the east of here. I can't tell you exactly where, but if you head in that direction it'll know you're coming and probably come out and meet you. I don't know it's story though, so please be careful," Tazuna cautioned as the shinobi stood up. "Boy, hold up a sec," he added as Naruto moved to leave, a dark look on his face.

"What?" Naruto said curtly as his team gave him his privacy. Tazuna sighed.

"Look, Naruto, I'm sorry I had to treat the jinchuuriki who lives here like that," Tazuna said bluntly. "The young ninja asked me to keep his secret one day and in fact asked me to treat him like trash to hide the truth. So I apologize," Tazuna finished.

Naruto nodded and grinned. "I understand," he said, relieved. "Thank you, Tazuna. I wish we could stay and tour the city, but time really isn't on our side," Naruto said as Tazuna led him outside to his team.

"Yeah, we'll be sure to come back and visit once this nasty business is taken care of!" Sakura said happily. "I want to see Inari-kun again!"

Tazuna nodded and shooed them away. "Now, go!" he said, laughing.

* * *

Naruto led his team through the forest in the direction Tazuna had pointed them in. When they came to a small clearing, Naruto held up his hand in the 'halt' sign and looked around at the small, convenient clearing in the trees. 

_These things are way too convenient,_ he thought. _Oh well._ He shrugged and began to place chakra kanji on the trees.

Hinata and Sasuke noticed this. "Naruto-kun, what are you doing?" Hinata asked curiously.

Naruto grinned cheekily. "Don't want anyone to be able to get to us yet," he said conversationally, "so I'm setting up barrier seals around the clearing with the Shirugan."

Sasuke nodded. "That ability you used on me to end our fight at Orochimaru's hideout?"

"Yeah, but I don't use it so often because of the concentration and chakra it requires. Even with my improved chakra control, I still use a ton of chakra for the writing; despite my massive reserves, I can only write a few seals at a time before I get fatigued," Naruto explained. Sasuke nodded thoughtfully.

However, as Naruto finished the last seal and prepared for the wave of tiredness, all he felt was a brief sense of emptiness which lasted about a minute or so. Then he literally felt his chakra replenishing.

"The ability of the Kyuubi!" Naruto howled. Sakura laughed.

"Naruto just figured out Kyuubi's powers," she reasoned. "Regeneration of both body and chakra, neh?" she asked for confirmation.

Naruto nodded happily, then deflated a bit. "I still can't throw seals around like one of those Western guns, though. Oh well," he shrugged again. "Now for the fun part!"

Sasuke groaned. "And this consists of?" he asked irritatingly, ignoring Hinata's humph of disapproval at his lack of faith in their future Hokage.

Naruto smiled his most fox-like grin, accented by his curiously pointed ears, which seemed to be returning.

"This," he said, and he leaned over and kissed Hinata deeply for a moment before going to the middle of the clearing and taking a deep breath.

And he flared his chakra, to the point at which nine of the biggest tails Hinata had ever seen come out of Naruto exploded into the sky and waved about menacingly.

"**ROOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGHHHHHHHHHH!**" Naruto roared into the sky, causing Sasuke, Sakura, and Hinata to cover their ears.

After a while of waving about, Naruto withdrew his chakra into his body and exhaled the breath he had apparently been holding. He then assumed a thinking pose.

"I didn't even have to convert my chakra into demon-form," he said pensively. He whipped about suddenly, motioning the others to stand with him in the center.

"Someone's coming," he whispered. "Hinata-chan, can you see them?"

Hinata nodded, silently activating her bloodlimit. "A person with a massive amount of chakra is heading this way. They aren't gathering it or anything, so I think they're just coming to see what your little show was all about," she guessed.

Naruto nodded as the sound of someone tree-hopping grew closer, then stopped. "Whoever it is, they've had at least basic ninja training," he observed.

Then the foliage in front of them shuffled, as it might in a horror movie when the monster jumps out and scares the pants off the heroes. Then it parted, and Naruto and Sasuke almost fainted with shock. Sakura actually did faint.

"Who are you," Hinata said warily, noting her friends' reactions.

"My name is Haku," said the ninja. "It is good to see you again, Naruto-kun,Sasuke-kun."

Naruto looked at the ninja dumbly. _Of all the strange things_, he thought, _of all the chakra and demonic powers and end-of-the-world madness, how in the hell is this happening?_

Haku smiled. "It appears I have some explaining to do. Let me revive your pink-haired friend and I will tell you my story once more."

Haku passed through the barrier as if it weren't there, much to Naruto's chagrin, and touched a hand bathed in baby-blue light to Sakura's forehead. Sasuke started forward as if to stop the young shinobi, but Naruto shook his head.

Sakura opened her eyes blearily and looked at Haku's big brown ones. Haku smiled.

"Am I in Heaven?" Sakura asked groggily.

"Nope!" Haku said cheerfully.

Sakura fainted again.

* * *

Oh yeah, I went there. 

Tell me what you think!

FIRST AUTHOR-READER POLL!:

Haku's Gender:

Male, or female?

Hope you enjoyed it!


	26. Loss

Jeez, what a long wait! But I finally got back to the grindstone with college, so I haven't had much free time, and what time I have snagged was immediately occupied.

Your responses to the reader poll were very helpful; I was able to make my decision:

Haku is… neuter!

JK.

Oh, and the manga? Freakin' unbelievable. Looks like anyone who guessed Naruto was the Yondaime's son was right, but I'm still wondering where that "Arashi" bullshit came from. Oh well, it's probably from the Kakashi-gets-sharingan arc.

Oh, and one more thing: is it just me, or does "Tobi" sound too much like Obito? And why is "Tobi's" sharingan in the exact place where Obito's got crushed? Uchiha Madara is dead, but everyone and their grandma seems to think that Tobi is actually Uchiha Madara, despite the anagram similarity between Tobi and Obito.

Alright, as of the release of Manga episode 370, here follows my reasoning behind "Tobi is Obito":

Name similarity.

Lack of a left eye.

His body was never recovered after the rocks fell on him and covered him up. Further more, was the point of the Kakashi arc to simply point out the origin of Kakashi's sharingan? Isn't it more likely that that arc was setting up even more?

Finally, the latest manga chapter states that the first hokage defeated Uchiha Madara at the battle at the Valley of the End. Now, I know that sure, maybe he survived, but please. Consider the possibility: Obito is the direct inheritor of the genes of Uchiha Madara.

It brooks possibility, and I'm sticking to my claim, for my story AND for the manga.

Okay, I'm done!

* * *

Chapter 25 – Loss 

Naruto led Haku back to their base camp in the woods in a daze, still not believing the images his Shirugan was sending him. The young ninja in front of him was indeed Haku, but the shinobi who once followed the rogue ninja Zabuza zealously was showing off an enourmous chakra signature.

"Haku, I have two questions that need answering immediately," Naruto said urgently as he passed Sakura to Sasuke, who, for some reason Naruto wasn't quite ready to decipher, blushed mildly and began to try to revitalize their pink-haired comrade.

"Sure Naruto-kun. Anything for you," Haku said seriously. Naruto nodded.

"Are you really a dude?" Naruto asked bluntly, and Haku laughed. _Now that I think about it, he did get… manlier._ Naruto thought.

"Of course. I know I was kind of… feminine when we first met, but I cut my hair and got rid of those kimonos. The truth is, that was the only non-shinobi outfit Zabuza and I could find in the area," Haku said sheepishly. "I didn't want to cut my hair for fear of anyone misinterpreting my, ah… preferences."

Naruto nodded, smiling in a very strained manner. "And my other question: what the hell is giving you that enormous chakra signature?"

Haku looked down. "When that white-haired jounin that was with you on the bridge hit me with that lightning, I immediately lost consciousness. I thought for sure I was dead. Then, something very strange happened. I began to wake up which, given my condition, shouldn't have been possible. I was only awake for a few seconds, but I remember seeing something."

Naruto nodded. "What did you see?"

"A large black form. I could only see half of the person, but I remember seeing one thing in particular: a red eye," Haku recalled.

"Did it have lines in the iris?" Naruto asked, shocked. Haku nodded, albeit hesitantly.

"Yeah, I think so. After that, I woke up for good. I realized immediately that whoever that black figure was, he sealed something inside of me. To put it bluntly, I am the jinchuuriki of the 6-tailed Osprey, and my ability is incredible speed." Haku said lightly, though his eyes conveyed the weight of his burden. "For this reason I distanced myself from the village and lived as well as I could using my skills as a shinobi; I also trained on the rogue ninja that were once in Gato's pay who, every now and then, would wander near the village to try their hand at a quick, illegal buck."

Naruto nodded. "The man who sealed the demon inside of you was the leader of Akatsuki, whose name we're not sure of yet. Though why he would do that, I have no idea; this happened years ago, before any members of Akatsuki were killed…." Naruto trailed off thoughtfully.

"Their leader is why were here," Sasuke said, who got up to stand next to Naruto. "We are facing a force of ninja who are just like you and Naruto. We have already garnered the support of one other jinchuuriki, but we need your help and the help of another to fight them. Will you come to Konoha and fight with us?" Sasuke asked. Naruto looked at Sasuke with something akin to approval and pride.

Haku nodded. "Of course. I have nowhere else to go, and I might as well stick with people I know, even though we all tried to kill each other at one point. No hard feelings though, right!" Haku said, laughing.

Naruto laughed with him, while Sasuke allowed himself a small grin.

"What the hell is going on?" Sakura asked groggily as she sat up.

"Haku the jinchuuriki is on our side now," Sasuke tossed over his shoulder as he turned to face Sakura, placing an arm around Haku's shoulder. "Oh, and he really is a guy."

"Hey. You must be Sakura; I never really got a chance to meet you, since I was too busy thrashing Sasuke," Haku said seriously.

"Don't even start that," Sasuke said sullenly as Sakura burst into laughter. Naruto laughed, seeing how Haku and Sasuke acted as though they knew each other for years.

_Stranger things have happened,_ he thought happily as he undid the seals in the forest, unaware of the red eye that watched over them.

* * *

"So this is Konoha!" Haku said excitedly as they entered the city's gate facing Waterfall Country. 

"Yeah, it's alright," replied Sasuke, earning a well-aimed punch from Naruto that had the Uchiha prodigy rubbing his shoulder.

"C'mon, let's go to Tsunade-baa-chan's office; I want to go to find the other… demon-carrier as soon as possible," Naruto said determinedly.

And so Team 7 with the addition of Hinata and Haku sped towards the Hokage mansion.

"Hey, we haven't really been introduced yet, since we were traveling so hard the past couple days. I'm Haku," Haku said in Hinata's general direction.

Hinata giggled. "I'm Hyuuga Hinata. I'm also Naruto-kun's girlfriend!" she said happily, causing Naruto to blush.

Haku snapped his fingers in mock anger. "Crap! I thought that when I saw you two kiss that it wasn't what I thought, but now I know I have no chance!" he said, smiling at Hinata, who laughed.

When they finally arrived at the Hokage's mansion, Naruto wasted no time and sprinted up the steps, ran inside to Tsunade's office, and slammed open the door.

Before his Shirugan was the most pathetic sight he had ever seen. Tsunade, the Godaime Hokage, was sitting in front of a desk that was bereft of paperwork. All that was on the desk was Tsunade's head, out of which emerged the sound of a broken woman sobbing at the horror of life and its inevitable culmination in death.

Naruto walked slowly into the room, possible situations running through his head. _The council revoked their decision, and I can't be Hokage. Or maybe…_

"Naruto-kun, is that you?" Tsunade said softly and clearly, causing Naruto to jump.

"Yes," he said cautiously. "and Hinata-chan, Sasuke, and Sakura-chan are here too, along with Haku. Tsunade, what's happened?"

Tsunade picked her head up off the desk and looked from Sasuke to Sakura, then back to Naruto. "Konoha is so lucky that the Legendary Sannin, even Orochimaru, passed their knowledge on before… before…"

And Naruto's heart and breathing stopped when he saw the piece of paper that Tsunade's head was covering. It was in a code that every ninja in Konoha knew:

"_This is Kakashi. I rendezvoused with Jiraiya-sama a few days ago, and we commenced to investigate the situation in the Village of Rock in an effort to discern the location of the last jinchuuriki. Jiraiya's information on a viable entrance into the Village was a trap though, and we were attacked by two members of Akatsuki, one woman and one man. The woman had what appeared to be a rose tied into long black hair, while the man was… colored black and white with orange-ish eyes and a flytrap-like thing surrounding his body. Their jutsu and chakra were incredible._

_Godaime-sama, though we both did everything within our power to escape with our lives… Jiraiya-sama was killed fighting the two Akatsuki in an effort to allow my escape. Before he died he gave me a scroll sealed with the blood of the Uzumaki clan, saying it should be presented to Naruto when it reached you._

_Tsunade, I'm so sorry. I will return to Konoha immediately after-"_

Naruto stopped reading, unable to continue. Hundreds of images began to flash through his head, memories pouring into his conscious mind like a torrent of water released from a dam. Memories of Jiraiya peeking into a bathhouse only to realize it was an all-male hut, Jiraiya teaching him how to dispel genjutsu, Jiraiya showing him all the capabilities of the rasengan… Jiraiya's dead body on the ground, covered in his own blood and matting his ridiculously white hair, surrounded by his black-cloaked killers…

It was too much. Naruto threw back his head and howled at the ceiling in rage, causing Sasuke and Sakura to leap back in shock while Hinata attempted to approach her boyfriend.

But when she got too close, Naruto spun around with such a look of grief and sadness on his face that she found herself unable to move. "Naruto-kun," she whispered.

Naruto turned back to Tsunade, who had resumed crying on the desk. He slowly walked to the desk, and with a measured kick, sent it flying into the wall, causing Tsunade to buck up suddenly and stand up.

Her honey-brown eyes stared straight ahead into Naruto's chest, which became larger and larger until Tsunade realized that the young man whom she had come to see as her own son had enveloped her in a hug and was crying gently onto her shoulder, yet at the same time trying to comfort her. She began to sob even harder into Naruto's chest, unable to speak.

Sasuke, Sakura, Haku, and Hinata looked on, though instead of feeling awkward they felt confusion. Sasuke spotted the paper lying on the floor and picked it up, holding it so that they could all see it. As they read it, they realized the seriousness of what had happened and bowed their heads in sadness, speechless.

After all, what do you say when one of the constants in your life disappears forever?

* * *

Kakashi arrived on the scene later in the day. As he stepped into the Hokage's office, he had to struggle with all his might to not cry at the scene before him. Naruto lay against one wall, Tsunade cradled in his arms. Hinata was by his side, wiping at his tear-stained face with a cloth, and Sasuke and Sakura stared at the letter Kakashi had sent ahead of him, as if it would suddenly change its words and refute what they had read. 

Kakashi bowed and let out a small ahem. Tsunade immediately leapt to her feet and stood facing Kakashi. Naruto too stood up groggily and accepted the embrace of Hinata.

"Tsunade, I'm so-" Kakashi began, but Tsunade cut him off.

"Don't even think of saying you're sorry," she snapped. "I've known this day was coming for a long time. I'm not sure what makes me angrier: that Rock has now taken _three_ people who were important to me, or that Jiraiya didn't send me a scroll too."

Not even Naruto laughed at the unintended jibe/joke, though Kakashi did clear his throat again.

"Um, Naruto… here is the scroll, by the way. A blood release is required," the white-haired jounin offered helplessly. Naruto nodded wordlessly and pocketed the scroll in his weapons pouch.

"Tsunade-baa-chan, I want to leave for the Village of Rock immediately." Naruto stated tiredly. "My original mission still stands, and I need to convince whoever is there to help us, be they… jinchuuriki or not. The death of… the death of Jiraiya will not go unnoticed by anyone, seeing as how through his travels almost everyone knows of him."

Tsunade nodded and sniffed. "Please don't destroy the Village of Rock if you can help it, Naruto. It was Akatsuki, remember."

"And you don't want to go for vengeance, _trust_ me on that one," Sasuke remarked.

Naruto did chuckle at that.

"Naruto-kun…" Hinata whispered. Naruto turned to his girlfriend and gave her a hug.

"I'll be okay, Hinata-chan. I mean, I'm not now and won't be for awhile, but even Jiraiya joked about this every now and then. We are ninja, and he would come back from the dead and kill me if I spent too long moping around."

Tsunade nodded, then smiled sadly. "Naruto, why are you still in Konoha?"

"Osu," he replied, and signaled to his team to follow. Wordlessly, Sakura, Sasuke, and Hinata made to follow Naruto out, but Tsunade stopped them.

"Wait," she said in the type of tone that is obeyed without question. The three of them plus Naruto pulled an about-face.

"Only Naruto will go," she commanded.

The room exploded.

Literally. The windows in Tsunade's office blew outwards, only to be blown back into the room by the wind. Shards of glass flew about like a hailstorm of death, causing the shinobi to cover their faces while their bodies received numerous lacerations. When the dust settled, Tsunade was being stared down by four very angry ninja. She glared at them all.

"I will not tolerate insubordination at a time like this," she warned. "You all better have well-thought out reasons as to why Naruto shouldn't go alone."

Kakashi, who's chakra-flare had caused the explosion, slumped. "Godaime-sama is right; Naruto has to go alone."

"But I thought he was going to a country where he had many enemies! Why the hell is he going without backup?" Sakura demanded loudly. _**Yeah, what the #$!**_ Inner-Sakura demanded expletively.

"Because I'm not going to try and conquer the place. It will be strictly an espionage mission, and if I am discovered, no one can match me for speed with the Hiraishin no jutsu," Naruto explained. Sakura slumped.

Sasuke approached Naruto and pointed a finger in his face.

"You know what will happen if you don't come back," Sasuke said as a challenge. Naruto raised one eyebrow. "And just what will happen, Sasuke-_kun_?"

Sasuke gave a rare grin. "Sakura or I will have to become Hokage before you," he said triumphantly. Naruto blanched.

"Dammit," he swore. "That was good." As he said so, he was spun around and slugged in the stomach, then pulled into a bone-crunching hug.

"Oh, YEAH? You think THAT'S bad? Do you have ANY IDEA what I'LL do to you if you don't come back?" Hinata yelled vehemently as the rest of the friends gathered backed against the wall.

Naruto grinned sheepishly. "Gomen, Hinata-chan. But you don't have to worry; I'm definitely coming back."

"What should I do?" Haku chimed in, causing the rest of the room to jump.

"Hmmmm… Haku-san, I almost forgot you were there," Tsunade said thoughtfully.

"Haku! It's good to see you… um, well…" Kakashi stammered. Haku laughed.

"Don't worry about it," Haku said, staring into Kakashi's one visible eye. And that was that.

"Haku, go with Naruto. You're absolutely unknown in that area, and will probably be helpful in convincing the remaining demon-carrier to help us," Tsunade said finally. "And that's final! Now get out of my office before I throw you out of Konoha from this building! Kakashi, help me fix the desk. You three, escort Naruto to the gates, and then return to my office immediately." Tsunade took a breath. "And for Kami-sama's sake, brat, come back."

Naruto grinned. "You can count on it."

As Naruto, Haku, and the others left, Tsunade and Kakashi got the office situated.

"Tell me," Tsuande said suddenly after a long silent spell of work.

Kakashi was silent for a moment, knowing what she was asking. "Are you sure?" he said quietly. When he saw her nod, he began.

* * *

Naruto turned to his friends as he prepared to leave Konoha yet again. "I will come back in one piece, you guys. And that's a promise!" he said exultantly. 

Hinata moved forward, and was surprised when Naruto wrapped her up in a hug and kissed her fiercely. "There's no way I could stay away," he whispered to her.

Even when Naruto was gone from sight from the gate, she was still blushing.

* * *

Well, even I'm not sure what to think about this chapter, though I hope you all will tell me! 

Thanks for reading! REVIEW!

Probably won't be awhile until the next chapter, so until then, ja!


	27. Unexpected Encounter

Hi there! Well, might as well get down to business: this is an AU fic. That key stuff from the latest manga is cool and all (and actually ties together that loose end from Naruto's training and his fight with Orochimaru), but it is rendered useless here by Naruto's absorption of the Kyuubi. And since this is getting kinda epic, with many characters and plots, here's an update on the status of everyone. I've delayed in posting this chapter because I needed to get my thoughts straight on what's gonna go down. Warning: This fic is gonna get darker.

Jiraiya – KIA.

Tsunade – Still buxom, still ancient, still Godaime. Also, mighty pissed at Akatsuki.

Uchiha Itachi – former member of Akatsuki, now working for Konoha. Has unstable relationship with Sasuke, but has arranged to get lunch with him.

Hinata – Naruto's girlfriend, currently in Konoha. Pretty pretty, pretty kick-ass.

Sakura – Naruto's adopted sister of sorts, currently in Konoha. Also pretty, also kick-ass. Confused about her feelings conerning Sasuke and Lee.

Lee – Naruto's teammate, umm... location unknown? Don't worry, he'll be back.

Sasuke – Naruto's best friend and currently confused as to his feelings towards Itachi... and perhaps a certain pink-haired kunoichi?

Kakashi – Talking with Tsunade about Jiraiya's death, being the witness to his last moments.

Haku – chillin' out in Konoha! Currently jinchuurki for the 6-tailed osprey – upgrade in speed.

Gaara – jinchuuriki of Shukaku, one-tailed raccoon. Currently residing in village of Sand.

The Uzumaki Clan – all killed except for the surviving heir and inheritor of the Shirugan, Naruto.

Village Hidden in Grass - Completely destroyed by Akatsuki clones. Refugee ninja and perhaps civilians are headed towards Konoha now.

Shirugan – blue orbs capable of Byakugan and Sharingan-like copying ability and chakra-seeing. Also capable of memorizing, storing, writing, and activating written or 'kanji' seals.

Makai – Naruto's katana. It's very shiny and has a hidden ability that not even Naruto has discovered.

Shien – Naruto's sword form, beginning with the katana held parallel to the ground, left hand anchoring and right leading, hilt placed near the left cheek. Very versatile on attack and defense, relies heavily on a speedy and agile user.

Akatsuki – on the move. They have recently wiped out Grass Country and Jiraiya. Their current location is unknown, but their current motive is believed to be to start a war with Konoha, though their motive for THAT is a mystery... for now.

Also, after reviewing my story I apologize for the lack of good fights, and for that matter I also apologize for the abundance of one-sided fights. I hope to rectify that in this chapter.

* * *

Chapter 26 – Unexpected Encounter

Naruto proceeded at the standard ninja pace, intent on breaking the Konoha border by mid-afternoon. Judging by the mental map he had of the continent, the Village of Rock was actually very close in proximity to Orochimaru's Sound Village setup. Naruto was grateful for this particular bit of training – the ability to memorize forever maps and details that prove invaluable on certain shinobi missions. Jiraiya was very clear on that.

_Ero-sennin..._ Naruto thought sadly, nearly missing the next tree branch. He cursed aloud and refocused. _Though this is new for me. I've never been out on my own like this on a mission before, really. Is this what the life of an elite jounin is like? How does Kakashi-sensei deal with it?_ Naruto thought grimly.

Fortunately for Naruto, for a great part of his life he was alone, and this mission hopefully wouldn't be anything new to him.

"I just need to get into the country without being detected, locate this… friend of mine, and get out without anyone noticing. Oh, and I have to convince whoever it is that coming to Konoha, their long-time enemies, is a good idea," Naruto said aloud. "Maybe I can use Jiraiya's death to my advantage. STUPID PERVERT!" he yelled spontaneously to the sky, startling some birds.

"Dammit, Naruto, focus!" he said aloud once more.

As he calmed, he considered the situation. _I have to get into the village of rock somehow. Normally I would simply knock out the guards, but they'll be ninja. They'll know that if anything affects them in any way that there's an intruder, and I don't know any memory jutsu, so I can't make them forget. I can't go underground either, because my earth jutsu sucks and to try that in the Village of Rock would be like walking up and saying, 'Hello, I'm the Yondaime's son! Remember him, the Yellow Flash of Kono-'_

Naruto's brilliantly blue Shirugan widened. Then he grinned rather evilly. _Oh, this will be so ironic._

* * *

Naruto approached the border tentatively. It had been three long days on the road, but it had given him ample time to devise strategies and counter-tactics for every situation he could think of. Before him, in a forest filled with rocks and very large trees, was a makeshift line of shinobi, spaced about 100 feet apart, all scanning the area methodically. Every so often a guard would have his hands buried in the ground, confirming Naruto's suspicion that they were keeping surveillance on the underground. 

So it was a very prepared Naruto who withdrew two kunai from his weapon pouch. One was a regular kunai specially prepared with a specially sealed exploding tag, the other was less recognizable. He hefted both, then with both hands and incredible training and practice hurled both to their destinations.

The three pronged kunai flew up, up, up, arcing loftily downward towards a spot behind the border in the Rock territory that his Shirugan had identified as safe ground. Naruto grinned and formed the ram seal, vanishing in a soft flash of light.

As he reappeared he formed the tiger seal, and to his satisfaction heard a very loud explosion. After using his slightly Kyuubi-enhanced hearing to ensure that the guards were investigating, he performed the seals for one of his well-used techniques.

**Henge**! He whispered, though he couldn't conceal the poof of smoke that accompanied the transformation – hence, the bomb. When the smoke dissipated he was wearing the headband of a shinobi of the Rock, in addition to a very stylish outfit of black and grey. Naruto struck a few poses admiring the look of the black vest and tunic covering his torso - not too difference from his actual attire, then set of quietly through the rocky forest towards the main Village.

* * *

Kira walked through the village of Rock sullenly, indignant at the latest mission she was given. 

"_We need you to investigate the site of a very large battle that took place nearby," the Kage of the village said bluntly._

"_And why are you wasting my talents on this ridiculous mission?" Kira protested vehemently. "There are other missions which require my powers, and you know it! Why can't I get better missions and hone my skills?"_

"_Because this is one such mission," the Kage said sternly. "Three very enormous chakra signatures were detected nearby, and an extremely large amount of chakra was discharged. If my suspicions are correct, then the terror known as Akatsuki has come to the Village Hidden in the Rocks."_

_Kira shivered. "And that means…" Her leader nodded._

"_Yes, the information the Legendary Sannin Jiraiya sent us is true: they are here for you. Rest assured the Village will do everything in its power to protect you, Kira-dono. You are a valuable kunoichi; remember we would do the same to any ninja threatened by an enemy._

_Kira bowed, embarrassed. "Thank you. Where do you need me to investigate?" And she was given the coordinates._

"I guess I should be grateful," Kira wondered aloud. "After all, even though I'm a jinchuuriki, my Village respects me. I've heard terrible stories about how other jinchuuriki have been treated. I wonder whether Akatsuki has come calling for them?" she thought worriedly.

As she wandered through the buildings, shops, and stalls carved from rock, she finally reached the gate her Kage had directed her to and began to jog at a good pace towards the border between Rock and Fire country, where the battle was to have taken place.

* * *

Naruto continued cautiously forward towards the Village of Rock. _Is there no end to this forest?_ he wondered. Then he laughed inwardly, thinking of the forest Konoha resided in. 

Suddenly he was greeted with an incredible sight. Before him lay a landscape that could only be described as a desert of rock. Mesas and plateaus dotted the ground, and crevices and canyons were abundant. Naruto whistled appreciatively at the sight, and took a step forward.

Whether he had crossed some intangible barrier or whatever, he felt different. He could feel his abundant chakra churn uneasily. It was very uncomfortable. He scanned the area in front of him, straining his Shirugan to its limits.

He gasped. Just ahead, at the edge of his vision, was what could only be described as a battlefield. Naruto raced ahead, strangely aware of the scroll Jiraiya gave him, the last memento of his deceased sensei, bouncing in his weapon's pouch. Makai thudded into his back as he stopped suddenly at the edge of the scene. The area had been turned into a pockmarked plain, the surrounding mesas of rock showing signs of lethal explosive force.

_Whoever used the jutsus here was good. Plus Jiraiya, plus Kakashi. Damn,_ Naruto thought. _These weren't Akatsuki clones; these were the real thing, complete with their own bijuu._ He shuddered. He was definitely not looking forward to fighting other jinchuuriki.

Which was why he almost died of shock when a chakra signature entered his Shirugan's detection range. He began to sweat.

_Shit._ He thought grimly. _Gotta hide._ And he henged himself into a rock, just before a young woman skidded to a stop at the opposite edge of the field.

* * *

Kira came to a stop at the edge of the battlefield and adopted a wide-eyed stance. "Holy crap!" she exclaimed. "What a mess! I had no idea other shinobi were capable of such power!" 

She began to walk from crater to crater, slowly examining the lingering chakras, no longer amazed but awed and slightly intimidated of the power that created the wasteland.

The closer she got to Naruto, the more he sweated. Also, he began to contemplate his options.

_This is actually a really bad situation,_ he thought. _I've already been discovered! She's cute…_ he thought offhandedly. She was about his height with dark red hair and bright green eyes which glowed ominously. Her figure was in the prime of a matured teenage girl of about seventeen, garbed in an outfit similar to Naruto's, though hers was complete with a midriff-revealing top and short shorts, similar to Sakura-chan's a few years ago. _But what should I do?_

Suddenly she stopped moving and looked directly at a particular rock. _That rock…_ she thought. Her eyes widened and she exploded into motion, leaping backwards and pulling out kunai, three for each hand. She stood poised to throw.

"Reveal yourself!" she cried. "I know you're there! Just… just un-transform! Now!" She yelled, pulling her arms into a self-hug, ready to hurl death at the rock she knew was a henged ninja.

The rock Kira isolated exploded into smoke, out of which emerged a cursing blonde shinobi wearing black trousers, black tunic, black boots, and a Leaf headband which was sewn onto orange cloth. His black-gloved hands were curled into fists and his blonde hair, which was tied into a ponytail so that two locks of spiky blonde hair framed his whisker-marked face, shook with the force of his expletives. When he looked into Kira's eyes her heart stopped as she stared into the bluest eyes she had ever seen.

_Oh, Kami-sama, why is the most attractive man I've ever seen wearing a Leaf headband?" _she thought in despair. Still, orders were orders, especially ones handed down by every jounin-sensei old enough to remember why: attack and eliminate any Leaf ninja you see in Rock country.

Naruto was greeted in the form of six kunai headed for six of his vital areas. All seemed to have been thrown simultaneously, usually a guarantee that at least two or three would hit. The sign of a ninja who knew how to throw sharp objects. _Very skilled_ he thought appreciatively.

Naruto saw all this in a millisecond. As the kunai approached he reacted, hitting the middle one with a powerful magnetic seal written from his Shirugan, then drawing Makai from his back and knocking the six kunai away as one big one with a powerful upwards slash. They impacted the ground with the sound of steel on rock.

But Kira wasn't wasting time either, moving before the sound came. The minute her kunai changed position she knew her suspicions were correct and a very powerful ninja was facing her, one with very unique powers. Well, that was fine. She had "very unique powers too", but knew better than to use them right away. She whipped through a basic earth jutsu.

_Ox-ram-__**Doton: Earth Spike no jutsu!**_ She yelled, and began punching the ground in a very spaced out, precise manner.

Naruto saw the chakra move into the ground and towards him and leapt into the air just before a thin and long spike of earth erupted behind him, pointed and poised to kill. However, as he landed the girl punched the ground again and another spike erupted, forcing him to utilize his incredible speed and leap away. But even as he increased his speed, the girl increased her rate of attack, and the spikes kept up with him.

Finally, the inevitable. Naruto's next landing place was predicted perfectly by Kira, and a spike was already leaping out to greet him.

Oh well. That just meant it was time to get serious. The kage bushin merrily impaled himself on the lance of rock, complete with blood exploding from the mouth, before poofing away in a burst of smoke.

This set Kira back a few steps, and she released her jutsu. _When the hell did he make that bushin? Even with my eyes I couldn't see it…_

Kira took a few determined steps into the used battleground, admiring how her rock spikes had given her a field advantage.

"There's no way this Leaf scum could out-fight me with earth!" she exulted.

And then the ground exploded as Naruto clones popped out of the ground, twenty in all. Without wasting a battle cry or threat they bum-rushed the kunoichi, giving her a chance to show off some impressive taijutsu skills. Planting her feet, she began to chop and kick at the clones gracefully, properly identifying one of the technique's weaknesses as a one-hit kill.

"That was some interesting taijutsu," Naruto said offhandedly as the last "clone" which was actually Naruto used his fist to catch her open palm by the wrist. As he released it, he hopped away. "That style isn't taught as the basic form in the Hidden Village of Rock. Your sensei must have attracted a lot of criticism to teach you a style from the Village of Grass." _They've probably heard by now of its destruction by Akatsuki if Rock is harboring a... jinchuuriki._

The girl's eyes widened for a fraction of a second, then she renewed her attack on Naruto, using many combinations of palm strikes and arcing kicks. "You're pretty well-traveled to have recognized the style. Yeah, my sensei was pretty controversial. But she's dead now, so I honor her memory by using the style she passed on to me to defeat you!" And she brought her knee into her stomach and extended, surprising Naruto with a blunt, yet unbelievably fast, straight kick to the solar plexus.

The last clone poofed away, and Kira's eyes widened again. "Alright, would you just come out and fight? Since your clones were that powerful, you must be something. But enough playing around. Let me kill you so I can go home."

Naruto grinned as he emerged from behind a conveniently angled rock spike. "Oh well, it's your funeral. And I was all ready to negotiate," he remarked as he drew Makai from his sheath. Kira took a ready stance.

"Leaf scum like yourself don't deserve anything more than a painfull death," Kira spat out.

And suddenly, Naruto was next to her. He swung Makai with a terrifying intent to kill, bringing his right arm from left to right in a horizontal head-removing swing. It met the back of Kira's right hand with a resounding and surprising clash of steel on steel; the blade had never come close to striking the young ninja. _Blocked by some gauntlet?_ Naruto thought in appreciation, settling into his kenjutsu stance of Shien and launching a kata (sword combination).

Kira was a little overwhelmed at first, but quickly learned to watch the katana's movements and react accordingly, despite Naruto's swift and powerful strikes. Block. Block. Counterattack, but rarely. Retreat, and block again.

Thrust. Slash. Parry. Riposte. Naruto attacked again and again, but was simply unable to get through the girl's lightning-quick defense. In fact, every now and again she would retaliate, forcing him to go on the defensive for awhile before changing the tide of the battle. She also was showing no signs of fatigue.

So he decided to take her seriously; after all, he had defeated more than his share of opponents by taking advantage of their underestimation of him! He stopped advancing on her and began to attack her with Makai held in one hand, also increasing the speed of the attack to keep her busy.

Kira was furious. Now the blonde leaf scum wasn't moving at all, but he was still making her work like crazy to keep that razor edge away from her, and now with just one hand! Then she saw that he was forming seals in his left hand, and tried to retreat. She cursed aloud when the blonde matched her pace, keeping those blue, blue eyes trained on hers. _I wonder what's behind those gauntlets that can stand up to Makai?_ Naruto wondered.

Unable to stop him, Kira could only deflect sword strikes as Naruto yelled, **Futon: Air-Blade! **(Yeah, made-up!)

Naruto swung Makai at the girl with all his strength, forcing Kira to block with the backs of both hands with his strength. Absently he noticed that she was able to match it no problem, but beating through her guard wasn't the plan.

Kira's eyes almost exploded out of her head when she saw the blade of wind that now extended from Naruto's left hand arc towards her side. With a yelp she took her hands away from Makai.

Naruto cursed. The minute the wind blade arced towards his opponent she disengaged from his katana and whipped through a jutsu, muttering a name that sounded suspiciously like "ground decapitation", disappearing into the earth.

Naruto grinned, pulling out a three pronged kunai. _Thank you, Kakashi-sensei, for performing that technique on Sasuke all those years ago._

Kira exploded out of the ground, but instead of catching her opponent unawares like she planned, she was instead greeted by the blonde leaf scum staring right down at the ground. His blue orbs immediately locked with her green eyes and she swore she saw satisfaction in his eyes as he waved at her in the split second before her kunai would have pierced his pretty eye.

Then there was a flash of light, and Kira's kunai met no resistance. Instead her opponent had been transported some feet above where he once was. She watched helplessly as he first hailed her with shuriken thrown from midair, which she blocked with her hands, then the surrounding area with more kunai. She made no effort to block them; they weren't aimed at her.

_But he can't move in midair!_ She reasoned, crouching and preparing her kunai.

As he approached her, she saw he still wore that same grinning expression. Kira glared and flung the kunai at him, confident in a hit.

Then the flash of light, and he was gone. Kira began to feel uneasy. Who was this ninja who possessed such unearthly speed and the ability to move in midair? _Was it a **Futon** jutsu?_ She wondered.

Then she stopped wondering and simply dropped to the ground, allowing Makai to slice diagonally from right to left unopposed as she found that the leaf scum was on the move once again. As she spun to sweep Naruto's legs out from underneath him, the flash of light happened again, and this time she couldn't do anything. Makai pressed up against her neck, and she stiffened.

"You're an excellent kunoichi," Naruto complimented her softly. "I apologize. Under normal circumstances, I'd spare your life, but-"

"But I'm from Rock, so you figure, 'Hey, a Rock enemy! Let's kill her!' So go ahead and try!" Kira spat out, unable to see Naruto's expression.

So she was surprised when she heard laughter. "I really hope that's not why you attacked me. I've heard of grudge, but that's pretty ridiculous. Why do you hold it? You can't be any older than me; the Rock-Leaf war was before our time, and not our conflict. No, I must kill you because I can't have anyone find me except a certain person. I doubt you would understand, but…"

Kira prepared herself, and the minute Naruto began to press more on her neck she released her trump card: the demon within. Feeling the chakra of her inhabitant pour through her, she spun with the katana's edge, keeping it from slicing open her jugular by pushing Naruto back with newfound strength, and elbowedNaruto in the stomach, followed by a quick-turn and kick to his chest, sending him flying. Balancing uncannily on one foot, she settled back into her taijutsu style and released a sigh that sounded suspiciously like a purr.

Naruto righted himself in midair and landed on his feet, stabbing Makai into the ground to stop his motion. He pulled the sword out and settled into Shien, noticing a strange blue-white glow around the blade.

"What the…" he murmured. He looked at the girl. She was positively glowing. Not in a visible way, but Naruto's Shirugan was seeing a green fiesta of new chakra in her coils.

He paled. "No way…" he whispered as she disappeared. Instinctively he blocked her attack, noting again the strange steel clash of Makai on the girl's hands - as if they were made of steel themselves - before she disappeared again. This time her boot came too quickly, and he was forced to mentally activate the Hiraishin once again and flash away.

Kira growled and sped towards her target, her vigor renewed now that she could keep up with the leaf scum. However, his speed still seemed beyond her. Every time she came close to landing a blow which, enhanced with her chakra, would seriously maim the blonde, he would flash away. She began to notice a pattern to his movements. Every time he avoided her attacks by flashing away, he would appear next to one of the kunai he had thrown earlier.

She grinned and attacked again, too swiftly for Naruto to counter. He flashed away, but this time Kira was ready. With a swift foot stamping on the ground she was flying towards him once more. _Got him_! she thought confidently.

He flashed away. Stunned, she spun around to see him standing on one of her rock spikes, his back to the sun causing her eyes to squint.

"How…?" she breathed. She noticed that, despite the laws of light, his eyes were glowing radiantly with cerulean-blue light.

"A kekkai genkai!" she cursed. Naruto nodded.

"I am fortunate, yes," he said, acknowledging her correct guess.

Naruto stared at the sun-blinded ninja before him. Her eyes were even greener than before, seemingly glowing of their own accord, though the sun might be...

Suddenly, it all clicked into place. He tossed Makai into the air and formed a few seals ending on ram, catching Makai as it fell. Nine tails of chakra burst out of him and flung themselves like scorpion's tails at the kunoichi, and Makai burned brighter with that blue-white glow.

Not even batting an eye, Kira ignored the spectacular nature of the attack and avoided every single tail, turning the attack into an opening which she used to strike Naruto in the chest. Confident that his guess was correct, he caught her hand, enhanced though it was by strength and speed, and held her in midair, using his tails to wrap her in a cocoon of burning chakra, after which he released her hand to allow it to dangle uselessly by her side.

Kira whimpered softly at the burning sensation; it was like nothing she had ever experienced in pain training. Noticing her expression and forgetting the effects of his chakra on anyone but himself, Naruto released her quickly and she fell to the ground on both feet, trying to look none the worse for wear.

Kira stared into Naruto's eyes. Now they were glowing dark red in a very malicious manner, though she could no longer sense any killing intent from her opponent.

"Who _are_ you!" she said forcefully, more of a demand than a question. Naruto nodded.

"Your suspicion is correct. I am the son of the Yondaime Hokage, Uzumaki Arashi," Naruto announced.

Kira sat down on the floor as the flashes and strange kunai fell into a semblance of order. Stunned, she plucked one of the kunai out of the ground near her and examined it, noting the seal on the handle and the strange three-pronged design.

"Just like in the textbooks," she said aloud. Naruto laughed.

"No way! That's in one of your Academy texts? That's so cool!" he exulted. "Go dad!"

Kira looked at the blonde incredulously. _Weren't we just trying to kill each other? How can he be treating it like it was just a sparring match? Who **is** this guy?_ Wondering how anyone could be so strange and not really sure how to react, she flung a kunai at him with all the force of her confused emotions behind it.

It thunked into Naruto's shoulder, and he winced as he pulled it out. "Please don't do that," he said patiently, as if speaking to a child who had just picked his nose. "It hurts, and we might as well stop fighting since you've finally calmed down enough to talk."

Kira stared in disbelief as the wound she inflicted closed so quickly she could see the muscle knitting back together through the ripped cloth of his black tunic. _How could I possibly win?_

"I've changed my demands; WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU!" she shouted.

Naruto smiled sadly. "Good choice of words, 'hell'." And he lifted him his tunic. Kira, despite herself, blushed at the pleasant view of a nicely toned six-pack and, distracted as she was, did not notice the ram seal he formed or the forming of chakra.

Then her mouth fell open as the forbidden Fuuin seal appeared on the blonde's stomach.

"No way… you're… you're a, a..." She swallowed. "You're a... you know?"

Naruto grinned at her refusal to say the word 'jinchuuriki'.

"I am Uzumaki Naruto, son of the Yondaime Hokage Uzumaki Arashi, container for the bijuu Kyuubi, the nine-tailed fox," Naruto recited, leaping off the rock to stand in front of her.

Kira nodded dumbly. _Just like me_, she thought. She stared at the outrageously blonde young man before her, startled beyond belief by the kind smile he was giving her, and smiled hesitantly, albeit warmly, in response.

Though inside, she was terrified. _The Kyuubi,_ she thought, horrified. _The greatest of the greater demons..._

_This changes everything..._

* * *

Jesus, what a monstrous chapter! I feel so proud… sniff. Hopefully I can put out some more of these! 

Lots of fighting in this chapter! More plot advancement to come! Going back to Konoha to do most of it though, so try to bear with me!


	28. Contingency

(THIS NOTE ADDED ON 9/23/2007): For the Last Time (note how finality is expressed through capital letters), I am keeping the name of the Fourth Hokage as Uzumaki ARASHI! As I have expressed in previous chapters, Kazama was the name that the Fourth used to protect Konoha and his identity from those who would attempt revenge! I know the manga has released his name! I talk about the latest manga all the time! So please! This is an AU fic! It has _similarities_ to Naruto canon as released weekly in the manga, but I am not going by the manga! I'm sorry for the rampage, but it had to be said. Thanks for listening, and I hope you keep reading and reviewing as always. Or hell, just reading.

Well, Manga chapter 371 did absolutely nothing for me. Zero. Zilch. Nada. _Me deja frio_, etc. etc.

However, I'm all that more pumped for ch. 372! Keep 'em comin', Kishimoto-sama!

Oh, and I'm learning Ju-jitsu! I'm so freakin' pumped!

And here's another whopping chapter!

MEANWHILE!!!! (dot-dot-dot… as in, 'Back in Konoha')

* * *

Chapter 28 - Contingency 

Tsunade sniffed. "And then what?" she asked steadily.

Kakashi had been retelling the story of Jiraiya's and his epic battle against two actual bijuu-infused members of Akatsuki, Zetsu and Konan.

"Jiraiya-sama and Gamabunta were using this technique where Gamabunta spit out oil and Jiraiya-sama ignited it. They were doing pretty well against that woman, who used some sort of chakra-infused paper for her techniques. A lot of kanji writing, faster than anyone I've ever seen, even Arashi-sensei," Kakashi said. "I also think Jiraiya's advantage came from the face that he seemed to know her from somewhere; he called her, 'Konan'.

"A few days ago I would have said that any ninja performing better at seal-writing than Arashi was unbelievable," Tsunade replied bitterly. "And yet I know better, now." She took a deep breath. "So what were you doing?" she asked, trying not to sound accusatory.

"I was still trying to figure out how I could counter Mokuton (wood) techniques with what I had on me," Kakashi said somewhat dryly. "You know, for a supposedly extinct technique element, it's been popping up a lot lately. I know that jounin Yamato is the descendent of the First Hokage or something, the last wood user, but this black-and-white guy was just freakish. His abilities were so… unique. For example, he would split himself, and his… 'replications' for lack of a better term were substantial and could even take a few hits, but they always appeared out of the ground from this venus fly-trap thing that surrounded his body. Also, I think he's got a split personality."

Tsunade grimaced. "That's not good. I know from experience that that particular condition is extremely unpredictable."

Kakashi nodded. "Zetsu possessed a very unusual jinchuuriki, the 3-tailed horse. I didn't get to see its abilities though, because they hadn't yet manifested beyond freakishly huge amounts of chakra." He paused. "It was about this time that Jiraiya-sama and I started to lose ground. We were working pretty well together; I was even able to help him out of a few tight ones already with my Sharingan. But now they were starting to work together even better. Finally, after a quick exchange that left Jiraiya-sama open, the blue-haired woman took a rose out of her hair and threw it at Jiraiya, making a few seals. Obviously I couldn't copy it; Jiraiya-sama saw it coming and tried to dodge."

Kakashi inhaled again. "The rose… exploded into this mass of vines and flowers, and they all wrapped around Jiraiya-sama. Now, this woman's fighting style this entire time was that of an assassin. Every opening was ruthlessly exploited to the fullest and every attack was designed to end a life. Naturally, she didn't waste any time and… and she… she took the vines and… dammit!" Kakashi shouted suddenly. "I couldn't do anything! I was going to use my mangekyou Sharingan to send the vines to another dimension! But Jiraiya-sama gave me this… this look! It was like a flash of light, and he… it was like he was saying for me to get out of there and save my chakra!"

Kakashi buried his head in his hands, and Tsunade placed an arm around his shoulders.

"And I ran!" Kakashi shouted. "I ran, just like I ran away from my teammates years ago!" and he finally broke down, sobbing into his palms.

"Kakashi, you did nothing of the sort!" Tsunade yelled, suddenly the Hokage again and not a comforting friend. Kakashi looked up in shock. "You went back for Obito and Rin, and you would have for Jiraiya too, if he hadn't told you not to! So don't feed yourself that bullshit!" she finished, suddenly deflating. "When did he give you that scroll?" she asked after a little pause.

"Before we even got to Rock Country," Kakashi said. "It seemed strange to me then, but even more so now. How could Jiraiya-sama have possibly guessed that something would have happened?"

Tsunade chuckled softly. "Call it the suspicion of a man too old to be doing what he was doing," she offered.

Suddenly, and for now apparent reason, Kakashi's forehead protecto began to emit a beam of light; it almost looked like a projector beam in a classroom for displaying stuff.

_What's a projector?_ Kakashi thought for no reason as he and Tsunade stared in disbelief as a rough, wavering image of Jiraiya appeared before them. _Oh well, must have been another RGT - Randomly Generated Thought._

"Geez, I hope this works. Oh! If you're watching this, then the inevitable has been accelerated and I have been killed in battle," Jiraiya began. Tears silently poured down Tsunade's face again and she hurriedly made to wipe them away.

"Oh, don't cry Tsunade! Ha-ha! No, I can't actually see you or anything; I just know you too well!" Jiraiya's image had a good laugh, and Tsunade actually choked for a second before regaining her composure and her conviction that her old friend perpetually deserved a good slam.

"I'm making this incredibly sophisticated recording using a seal Naruto found in his old clan library. It took me awhile to get the hang of it, but I think this should last. Kakashi, you should be ashamed, by the way, of letting me get a hold of your forehead protector so easily," Jiraiya reprimanded. Kakashi didn't let it through his mask, but Tsunade knew he had the grace to blush.

"Now, to business! You're watching this memento because the last of my chakra has dissipated from the world of flesh, the condition I placed on this seal which I hope works, seeing as how I can't really test it. I will be leaving Naruto a scroll which contains some info from me; he'll tell you about some of its contents because you'll need to know, but other things are for his eyes alone," Jiraiya explained. Then, his image looked directly at Tsunade.

"Listen you old flat-chested Granny Godaime! There will be no change in how you operate your everyday life! I was old, dammit! Too damn old to be a ninja anymore; I'm amazed Sarutobi-sensei went as far as he did, even taking out Orochimaru! But Tsuande, you're old too. I'm not saying you should retire, just take things easier a bit. Let Naruto take over the more stressful paperwork of being Hokage, kind of like an initiation to the job you gave him." Tsuande's amber eyes widened, and Jiraiya's image laughed again, smiling warmly. "Yeah, I knew about the promotion. You made the right decision; I'm glad the Council agrees."

Jiraiya grinned. "Kakashi! Since I'm going into Rock Country knowing that at least you _must _come out alive, I will direct this toward your living, healthy body. Take care of Naruto in the next few years. You're the last father figure he has, and between that girlfriend Hinata of his, that little-Tsunade Sakura, you, and no-breast Tsunade ('Hey! Stop saying that!' Tsunade interjected uselessly.), you're the last family he has. Take care of his sorry hide, 'cause I certainly can't anymore." Jiraiya looked sad for the first time since he began to speak. "I will definitely miss all of you, especially that brat. No offense to you Tsunade, Kakashi, but he just… he just touches you, right where you can't numb yourself no matter how hard you try." Jiraiya brushed away a lone tear.

"But that's that, no sense moping. Kakashi, live strong, and remember: Rin does not hold you responsible for Obito, and for that matter neither does Obito. Never forget that!" Jiraiya said. Then his eyes took on a familiar… perverted gleam.

"Kakashi, this is my final request to you and you alone. You know what must be done, and I'm counting on you. Release… _it_."

Kakashi's visible eye widened, and Tsunade groaned loudly.

"And that… is all, I think." Jiraiya said, after a brief pause. "I will… I will miss all of you very much, when I'm gone… but y'know everyone always says death is just the next adventure in life, so maybe… maybe we won't be apart for so long."

Jiraiya smiled suddenly, a full smile like the ones he used to give Tsunade after a successful mission or the ones she had seen him give Naruto when he wasn't looking. "So remember me! Remember Jiraiya, the Legendary Toad Hermit and Super-Pervert, Trainer of Uzumaki Arashi and Uzumaki Naruto, legendary ninja!" Jiraiya paused. "Actually, that bit about training Naruto _and _his father makes me sound old. Leave out Naruto," he said, winking. Tsuande's mouth dropped open in horror. "Just kidding! Good-bye, my friends."

And with that, Jiraiya winked and formed a dragon-seal, and image dissipated.

Kakashi sat back heavily against the desk he and Tsunade had been leaning on for the past hour. Tsunade, however, stood up.

"That old bastard…" she said mock-venemously. Kakashi stood as well, looking the Hokage in the eye.

"Tsunade-sama?" he asked carefully. Tsunade smiled back at him in a very predatory manner. He gulped.

"Get me Haku of the Falcon, Haruno Sakura, Hyuuga Hinata, Hyuuga Neji, Aburame Shino, Akimichi Chouji, Yamanaka Ino, Nara Shikamaru, Rock Lee wherever he is, Tenten, Inuzuka Kiba,…" she paused thoughtfully.

"Would you like for me so simply arrange a meeting the entire ninja population of Konoha could attend?" Kakashi asked dryly, pushing aside the fact that Konoha, Tsunade, and himself had just lost a very great man.

"No, just get me those jounin and chuunin," Tsunade said thoughtfully. "I'll have Ebisu round up the civilian population, and Sarutobi Asuma can get me the rest of the ninja. I want to speak with Naruto's class in private though; oh! And have their jounin-senseis present too!" Tsunade said cheerfully. "Think you can handle this, Kakashi?" she asked cheekily, as if she were forty years younger.

Kakashi stared at the Godaime for a moment before performing his version of the kuchiyose no jutsu. His team of dogs arrived, and he quickly explained who he needed found. They nodded, and as one they disappeared. Kakashi himself turned for the door.

"Oh, and don't forget Itachi!" Tsunade called out pleasantly. She heard a muffled curse, but she knew he heard.

Tsunade smiled and walked around her desk, replaced from the smashing it received into the wall earlier, and sat behind it.

She leaned back in her chair, spinning around to look out the window at the beautiful village of Konoha, thinking not of the conflict to come but of the fond memories she had of her longtime teammate… and best friend.

Kakashi exited the office in which an emotional tornado had just ensued to be greeted by a very irate Sakura and Sasuke, a distracted Haku, and a very worried Hinata.

"If you wouldn't let us in the room, you must have known we would listen in," Sakura said dryly when she saw that her old sensei had finally come out for air. Kakashi slumped.

"Yeah, we knew. It still felt good to kick you all out. Now, I have a special mission for you, Haku," Kakashi said, turning to the boy whom he had once thrust his lightning-powered hand through.

"mm-yes?" Haku said distractedly. "I was just thinking; are there any more ninja like me and Naruto and that person in Rock? Shouldn't we warn them?" Haku asked.

Kakashi smiled behind his mask. "That's your mission, Haku. Tsunade-sama doesn't know I'm doing this, but it was one of Jiraiya's plans after our mission in Rock if it was successful. I figure, might as well do what one of the Legendary Sannin thought was a good idea." Kakashi inhaled. "Haku, I need you to take this letter to Kazekage-sama in the Village of Sand in Wind Country. Do you know how to get there?"

Haku nodded. "Good," Kakashi breathed. "Get there as fast as you can; the letter basically states that Gaara-sama – the Kazekage – needs to meet Naruto and his new friend from Rock at the border to Fire Country as soon as he gets it. He is to also, at the same time, order his force of ninja to reinforce their village's defenses and prepare for an attack by Akatsuki while giving his second-in-command the order to wait for our signal for help, should it come," Kakashi said, giving Haku a scroll. "This scroll contains a seal which Tsunade-sama can activate – I'll tell her how – which will reduce the time it will take for help to arrive. It's not perfect, but it's the best we can do."

Haku nodded, somewhat dazed by the amount of information he was expected to memorize. Kakashi knew the look and placed a hand on Haku's shoulder. To his pleasure, the boy did not flinch.

"You'll be fine; just try to remember what I've told you and you'll be fine," Kakashi said kindly. Haku smiled and turned to leave, then stopped.

"What should I do after I deliver the scroll and the message?" Haku asked. Kakashi nodded again.

"Go with Gaara to find Naruto at the border," the jounin said. "Now go!"

Haku formed a quick seal and was gone in a flash of smoke.

"What about us?" Hinata asked. "When's Naruto going to be back?" she added quietly, hoping only Kakashi would hear.

"You are all ordered to report to Tsunade-sama's office immediately," Kakashi said. As he moved to walk past Hinata and out the door, he paused and whispered, "He won't be back for a few days at least, depending on how long it takes to find and convince whoever it is he's looking for to come back with him. But don't worry about him; he'll be perfectly fine, he can handle almost anything anyone can throw at him."

And with that, Kakashi hurried out the door to finish his mission.

Sakura stared after his retreating back. "I swear, I can't wait until Akatsuki is finished and we can get back to a normal life."

"We're ninja in a village that attracts more trouble than a rotten steak attracts flies, and you're hoping for a normal life?" Sasuke asked incredulously.

Sakura stared at Sasuke wide-eyed. "Sasuke-kun, was that a joke? Hinata-chan, did I hear correctly? Sasuke-kun made a _joke?_" Hinata giggled.

"I dunno, Sakura-chan. It could be a fake Sasuke!" Hinata replied, laughing. Sasuke, however, looked Sakura straight in the eye, and recited:

"The ninja song, Ninki? The answer is the following: 'It is a good chance when a lot of enemies are making a scene. There are no hideouts, even in a quiet place. It is important for a ninja to know the right time. The time when the enemy is tired, and has his guard down.'" Sasuke finished.

Sakura's eyes widened, and her mouth fell open. "How… how could you possibly remember that?" She whispered. Hinata, feeling she was intruding, stepped outside after Kakashi.

Sasuke smiled. "You remembered too, obviously. Do you remember everything else from that day? Remember how Naruto popped into that fight with Orochimaru, saying, 'I forgot the password?' I don't think I had ever been so glad to see him!" he said, laughing.

SLAP! Went Sakura's palm against Sasuke's face, sending the great Uchiha to the ground.

"Sakura, what the hell are you-" he began, but when he looked up he saw that tears were silently pouring down Sakura's face.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Sasuke-teme!" She yelled, choking once. "Bringing up something like Orochimaru's giving you the curse seal? The event that started that mess a few years ago!"

To say that Sasuke looked "miffed" would have been the understatement of all time.

"WHAT WAS I DOING?" Sasuke exploded. Sakura's tears stopped almost as suddenly as they came, and she stared at her former crush. "I bring something as innocent as Naruto's denseness from years ago and you turn my face into one of Lee's old practice logs!"

Sasuke took a deep breath, and continued somewhat calmer. "Look Sakura, Naruto said it himself: that curse seal Orochimaru gave me causes a sever imbalance in the recipient's homeostasis. You're Sakura, so I know you understood that, but for clarification: I went insane." He took another breath and stared at the ceiling. "Look, I… I'll admit I was a major asshole when we were genin. But for Kami-sama's sake, give me a second chance? Going through an experience like that curse seal was…" he trailed off.

Sakura began to cry again, but she ignored the tears and instead walked closer to Sasuke. She reached out towards the side of his face which was now sporting a fine hand mark. Sasuke flinched, but instead of hitting him again Sakura gently placed her palm on his cheek and applied healing chakra to the mark.

Sasuke's eyes went wide, and in his surprise he released his hold on his activated Sharingan, so that his eyes returned to their normal black. "Sakura, what are you doing?" he asked, confused. _Wasn't she just beating me up?_ He thought.

Sakura smiled, and with her healing hand she wiped away her tears. "Yeah, I can give you a second chance, Sasuke-kun. What you said… I think I understand a little better, now. There's just one question I have."

Sasuke visibly relaxed. "Anything… Sakura-chan," he replied, grinning cockily.

Sakura almost fainted at the new term of endearment from the Uchiha, but regained her composure and tried to look serious. "What are you going to do about Itachi?" she asked bluntly.

Sasuke 'harumphed' loudly. "I… jeez, Sakura-chan, you really know how to treat a guy. Smack him, caress him, then bring up the very object of his hatred for the past decade which he just found out was completely misdirected?"

Sakura had the grace to blush furiously, especially after Sasuke referred to her 'caressing' him. Sasuke, however, laughed.

"No, I think I'll go through with his offer for lunch. I'm not optimistic, though; it _will_ be awkward as hell at first, but who knows. Maybe I'll end up with another brother by the end of it," Sasuke said thoughtfully.

"Awww, I'm touched," a familiar voice said laughingly. Sasuke and Sakura whipped about to see Itachi standing there, resplendent in his Konoha jounin gear and Sharingan.

"Itachi-san," Sakura said by way of greeting. "I guess you got the Hokage's orders."

The other prodigal Uchiha nodded. "Yeah. Sorry, Sasuke, but our meal will have to wait. I have a feeling Hokage-sama won't have good news."

Sasuke nodded. "That's fine, but I'm gonna hold you to it," he said with a small smile.

Itachi, startled, returned it. _Maybe… just maybe._

The moment's downward spiral towards awkwardness was ended abruptly by a mass torrent of people entering the small space which functioned as Tsunade's doormat. Leading the group was Hinata, whom Sakura had never been more afraid of.

"Hey Hinata-chan, what's up?" Sakura asked carefully.

Hinata glared at the Hokage's former apprentice. "What's up? Okay, you asked, so I'll tell you. This herd of ninja behind me won't stop asking me what's going on. They expect me, a jounin, to have been told _something_ about the Hokage's orders. But hey, I'm _just_ a jounin! So I led them all in here!" Hinata took a deep breath. "And Lee won't stop asking me where _you _are, Sakura-chan."

"SAKURA-SAN!" a voice shouted above the din of their muttering comrades, whom Sakura realized was everyone from their genin class, including their senseis. And Lee.

"Sakura-san, I…" Lee began, but he stopped short after seeing how close Sasuke was standing to Sakura.

"NOOO! It seems I have been defeated once again by you, Sasuke-san! But I will not lose the war for Sakura-san's heart!" Lee proclaimed. "Let the flames of youth ensure my victory!" he shouted triumphantly.

Sasuke was saved from having to think of a reply by Tsunade, who opened the door to her office. "Ah, excellent," she said when she saw that everyone was there, and she motioned them all in.

Sasuke, Sakura, Hinata, and Lee led their fellow classmates in. Neji caught up to his sister.

"Sister, what's going on? I haven't seen you in ages," Neji whispered. Hinata placed a finger over her lips.

"Tsunade-sama will explain," Hinata replied just as softly. "It's not good news though." Neji looked worried, and relayed the information to Tenten, who nodded and also acquired a look of growing apprehension.

"So! Naturally you are all wondering why you've been called here," Tsunade began, looking at all the ninja gathered.

"Yeah, we were in the middle of barbecue!" Akimichi Chouji said indignantly, only to receive an elbow from Yamanaka Ino. "But anything for you, Hokage-sama," he added, rubbing his ribs despite the generous padding he possessed.

Tsunade, to Ino's surprise, smiled. "Yes Chouji, I understand this is a little unorthodox. What could be so important that it couldn't wait until tomorrow morning's mission handout?" she asked rhetorically.

Nara Shikamaru knew exactly what could possibly supercede normal protocol, so it was no surprise to him when the Godaime Hokage answered her question, suddenly becoming gravely serious.

"The answer, of course, is war."

And without any warning a deathly silence descended upon the room as all chatter ceased.

"As you may know, there exists an organization called Akatsuki. Do I need to explain their goals?" Tsunade asked by way of preamble. When no one raised their hands, she nodded in approval. "Good, then I trust your jounin senseis already briefed you on Akatsuki. Well, we have been making some headway against Akatsuki very recently. Uzumaki Naruto's team of jounin – Hyuuga Hinata, Rock Lee, Haruno Sakura, and recently Uchiha Sasuke – have recently dispatched of several members of Akatsuki over the course of two missions. Their numbers have been reduced, but in the process of reducing their members Naruto and his team came across some very troubling news."

Tsuande took a deep breath. "All of the remaining members of Akatsuki – five in total – have each absorbed a bijuu. Jiraiya of the Legendary Sannin has already been killed by one of these ninja, as well as the Village Hidden in Grass. This should tell you that this threat will be like no other we have ever encountered."

She allowed the information to sink in for a moment before continuing. "Information we have received tells us two things: Akatsuki was recovering from their attack on Grass, which involved many ninja cloned from the original members using some strange jutsu, but was intending to strike Konoha or Sand next. Also, the ninja and civilians who survived the attack on Grass are on their way here."

"Hokage-sama, who will get here first? Grass, or Akatsuki?" Sarutobi Asuma asked.

"We believe that Akatsuki is not on the move, which gives us time to accommodate the refugees and prepare for war," Tsunade said somewhat gratefully.

She scanned the room briefly. "I know this is a lot to handle right now, but let me make this perfectly clear: this will be a war unlike any we have ever fought before. I fought in the Leaf-Rock war years ago, so I know what I am saying from personal experience. We have no intelligence on our enemy other than the idea of these super-powered ninja. Before they absorbed bijuu they were ranked as S-Class criminals in the Bingo Book; now we believe they have surpassed any S-Class ninja to have ever lived, save for a few."

"Hokage-sama, how can we possibly fight jinchuuriki who are experienced ninja and have the knowledge to use their powers to their full extent?" Yuuhi Kurenai asked worriedly. Tsuande grinned.

"We have two weapons which we will use against this coming threat," Tsunade replied. "The first is Konoha's Will of Fire. I'm sure you all remember the Sandaime Hokage. He left us that power, that will to defeat our enemies and protect our friends. We will have to use that power to work together to defeat this enemy. They are powerful yes, but they are not invincible. The Akatsuki clones, who will make up the majority of the enemy's forces, are not as strong as the originals, making them beatable."

"But what about the jinchuuriki?" Kurenai pressed. Tsunade's grin grew wider.

"Fight fire with fire. I feel terrible treating Naruto and his fellows this way, but I know they understand. Naruto has made some friends, as you all can attest to his ability to make people like him." Tsunade felt a surge of pride as she saw everyone in the room nod in assent. "Well, not only has Naruto befriended you all, he has earned the trust and support of several others. Namely, two other ninja with demons sealed within. You all remember Gaara no Sabaku, yes?"

Many of those gathered nodded. "Well, Naruto recently saved his life from Akatsuki and Gaara has pledged Sand's support, as well as his own, in the coming conflict. Naruto has also earned the trust of Haku, a ninja from the Country of Wave and another demon-carrier. Say hi, Haku!" she called out to the crowd.

"Hi, Haku!" Haku said cheerfully. Everyone groaned at the old joke.

"Together with Naruto and the ninja I hope will be accompanying him home from the Village of Rock, they should be able to handle the original members of Akatsuki," Tsunade said once the moaning had died.

"When will we be evacuating the civilians?" Maito Guy said.

"As soon as the non-ninja refugees from Grass arrive, we will begin our evacuation contingency," Tsunade replied.

Suddenly, the door to the office slammed open and a messenger ran in. "Tsunade-sama!" the young brown-haired ninja shouted.

"Report!" Tsunade commanded. The ninja came to attention.

"Hai! Hokage-sama, the survivors from grass have arrived at the West Gate!" the messenger relayed.

Tsunade groaned. "This is way earlier than I expected. Everyone in the room, follow me. We've got work to do."

And that's that! Next chapter will be more Konoha goodness, but we'll get back to Naruto eventually, I promise!

Thanks for reading, so R&R!


	29. Homecoming

Not sure how many readers I'll still have after these next couple chapters; this one's a real doozie.

Also, I would like to thank all of you who have been keeping up with this amateur's story. Domo arigato. bows

Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 28 – Homecoming

It was organized chaos, though the thought in many a jounin's mind was that this wasn't too bad compared to the Sound-Sand invasion. In fact, it was exactly the same, but with more people.

"Alright, everyone assigned to the purple-haired ninja, follow me!" Anko yelled cheerfully. Iruka groaned as he led his own group of civilians underground into the catacombs of the Hokage Monument.

"Anko, you could be a little more serious," Iruka admonished. Anko grinned cheekily.

"Because a bunch of civvies are gonna remember _my_ name," Anko retorted. Iruka laughed.

"No one forgets who you are once they meet you," Iruka shot back playfully. Anko grinned.

"Hey, quit flirting and get a move on!" Yamanaka Inoichi yelled good-naturedly. Anko stuck out her tongue.

"Easy for you to say, you're already married!" Anko called out, though she did begin to pay more attention to her group of civilians, who were beginning to mumble about their confidence in their ninja protectors. Iruka laughed at that and also began to take a more active role in herding his group.

When the refugees from grass arrived, Tsunade had approached them slowly.

"_Who's in charge here? Where is the Kage of your village?" Tsunade had shouted. A ninja bearing a jounin vest and a Grass forehead protector stepped forward._

"_I am the leader, and my name is Tachimaru Hiro. Our noble Grass-Shadow stayed behind to delay Akatsuki, for in truth he is all that keeps Akatsuki from this village.," Hiro stated calmly. "I have been entrusted by our Kage himself to lead these men and women here, and to place our remaining ninja under your direct command, Hokage-sama."_

"_Thank you. How many ninja are able to fight?" Tsunade asked. Hiro sighed._

"_We… that is to say… almost none of our forces survived the attack, Hokage-sama. We were prepared to defend our village to the last man, but I was told… my lord told me to… to…" Hiro couldn't speak. Tsunade placed a hand on his shoulder, aware that every jounin in Konoha had gathered at the gate to organize the evacuation and defense and were watching her._

"_You obeyed your lord, but you feel you should have stayed, fought, and died by his side. This is not what your lord wished. He wished for you to live, to go on and fight another day. And here you are; what will you do?" Tsunade asked, neither accusing nor demanding anything._

_Hiro straightened. "Gathered here with our civilian survivors are 34 jounin and 53 chuunin. What genin we have will guard our civilians, but the rest of my comrades and I will pledge our strength to you, Hokage-sama, against the threat of Akatsuki," Hiro declared firmly. "And we will avenge our lord."_

_Tsunade nodded in approval, smiling. "Separate the active ninja from those to be evacuated. Make groups according to…"_

And now they were evacuating every one in the village not prepared for combat, from genin to civilians.

"Alright everyone, come this way!" Tenten called as she organized her group.

"Coming, sweetie!" a voice called out from the crowd. Tenten stiffened.

"Dad! What the hell! Show me some respect; I _am _a chuunin, and your only hope for survival!" Tenten shouted angrily, becoming even more incensed by the chuckles of the crowd.

"I'm sorry dear, it's just that I haven't seen you in weeks!" Busho said, laughing. "How have you been? How's Naruto-kun?" Tenten sighed.

"I'm fine, and Naruto's out on a mission to Iwagakure," Tenten replied, resuming her role as director. Busho paled.

"What the hell was Tsunade-sama thinking, sending the son of the Yondaime there?" Busho asked quietly. Tenten shook her head.

"I know it sounds stupid, but the fate of Konoha rests on the outcome of Naruto-kun's mission." Tenten frowned. "I don't like it either, but it _is_ Naruto-kun. I'm sure he'll be fine." Tenten's father nodded.

"Hey, what's going on! Everyone should have been evacuated already! MOVE IT!" Tsunade bellowed.

_Slave-driver_ Anko thought.

Finally, the civilians were safely tucked away deep into the mountain. It was a slightly easier job because, despite the increased numbers, there wasn't a battle being fought at the same time. The genin were ordered on the guard and warned to use the best stealth they had ever used if any Akatsuki clones came knocking, as the element of surprise and a quick kunai to the back would be their only chance. Now, all the ninja were gathered in the village square.

"Now, Hiro-san says that Akatsuki were pursuing them in the same direction, so it is safe to assume the bulk of their forces will attack from the east," Tsunade shouted, her voice magnified by a special jutsu. "However, this is Akatsuki. Here is how the first line of defense will be split along the wall and the three gates out of the village…"

As the plan was outlined and the ninja were split into squads, Shikamaru began to think, settling into his traditional pose. Chouji nudged Ino.

"What?" she said, irritated. Chouji pointed at their black-haired teammate and friend, and Ino grinned.

"This'll be good," Ino whispered quietly, not wanting to disturb the resident genius.

_There's no way Konoha will be standing in the end if we just try to take them all on at once, _Shikamaru thought. _There has to be some way we can create choke points around the village, but to do so would mean the demolition of parts of Konoha! Then again, the village is gonna take some serious damage anyway, so if we contain it… but how do we do that?_

Shikamaru thought and thought, but couldn't think of any way, with chakra or without, to do it. And he remembered a certain technique he had heard Naruto describe in passing once, and it clicked. Without warning he poofed away, causing Ino to shriek in surprise. Shikamaru was already on top of the Hokage Tower overlooking the Village square, whispering in Tsunade's ear.

Asuma nudged Kurenai, whose arm was linked with his. In response to her questioning gaze he pointed with his free arm up at Shikamaru. Kurenai smiled.

Tsunade straightened suddenly. "Would anyone who knows the Hell-Swamp jutsu please come up here immediately?" she shouted. By way of answer several poofs were heard, followed by four jounin appearing on the Tower, one knee bent.

Tsunade whispered the plan to them, and they nodded, poofing away. Tsunade faced the small army gathered before her once again.

"Nara Shikamaru has just come up with an idea that could save us all. We will create choke points using that technique I just mentioned, limiting access to the village and thus battleground to four areas. Groups will now be divided as follows…

Shikamaru breathed a sigh of relief as he and his team joined one of the four battalions. _This will buy us the time we need to hold out until Naruto's team arrives. Naruto, you better hurry._

Naruto sat comfortably against one of Kira's rock spikes, carefully scribing ink kanji onto a small scroll from his weapons pouch. _Only one more foot to go,_ he thought happily, tracing the patterns of kanji his Shirugan was projecting onto the blank scroll.

"What is that you're sealing?" Kira asked curiously from her position across from the blonde and a good few meters away. Naruto jerked his head downwards toward Makai, never taking his eyes off the scroll. Kira nodded to herself.

Finally, after a few more agonizingly awkward minutes, Naruto formed the ram seal and gathered his chakra. To his delight, the katana disappeared and on the scroll appeared the kanji for "sword".

"Perfect! Damn, I love these eyes. Can't depend on them too much, or I'll be defeated by someone who knows how to beat it," Naruto remarked offhandedly. Kira nodded slowly, not sure how to respond.

"Ummm… might I ask why a ninja from Konoha was on his way to Iwagakure? I'll admit, I really don't have anything against you as a Konoha shinobi, but relations between Konoha and Iwagakure are anything but friendly," Kira said bluntly. Naruto nodded.

"Yeah, you might have figured that an agreement to end hostilities would be less… hostile. But believe me when I say that my mission is anything less than of the utmost importance." Naruto sighed. "Frankly, I'm here for _you,_" he confessed, pointing at the crimson-haired girl.

"Me?" Kira said, reddening somewhat. "But if you're not here to assassinate me, then why?"

Naruto smiled sadly. "I can understand perfectly why your first guess as to my interest in you would be your death but believe me, that is the exact opposite of why I'm here. I'm sure you've heard of Akatsuki?"

Kira paled. "Yes…" she whispered. "Tsuchikage-sama has told me all about Akatsuki based on information Jiraiya of the Legendary Sannin gave him. Obviously you're asking because you're a… you carry a demon too. Are they on the move?" Kira asked fearfully.

Naruto nodded, no longer smiling. "Before we wrecked this place, you were able to sense a ton of chakra here, weren't you?" When the girl across from him nodded, he continued. "Ero-sennin… I mean, Jiraiya-sensei and Hatake Kakashi-sensei fought two members of Akatsuki here."

Kira's green eyes widened. "What… what happened? Where are the Akatsuki now, are they gone?"

"Yeah, they're actually on their way to Konoha," Naruto said reassuringly, though he was sure that that bit of knowledge was anything _but_ reassuring to him. "Jiraiya-sensei and Kakashi-sensei… lost, and Jiraiya-sensei was killed," Naruto said, bowing his head.

Kira stared at the blonde, shocked. _Jiraiya, of the Legendary Sannin, is dead?_ She thought. _Oh, Kami-sama…_

Then she noticed that below Naruto's bowed head were several wet spots. _Jiraiya-_sensei­_, he said… oh dear Kami-sama!_

And without even considering the action Kira was moving towards Naruto and pulling him into a warm embrace. Afraid of his reaction, Kira was thus shocked when Naruto clutched at her, openly sobbing.

"He was – he was like my father!" Naruto said, his voice muffled by Kira's shoulder, bared by her sleeveless vest. "He taught me for years… taught me so much! He taught my father too, and now… and now he's gone!" Naruto shouted.

"Shhhhh…" Kira whispered softly. "Shhhhh, it will be fine," she said. Naruto shook his head, then pulled away abruptly, a sheepish look on his whiskered face. To her surprise, Kira was sad to let go of him.

"I'm sorry… I can't believe I lost control again like that. And I don't even know your name!" Naruto exclaimed suddenly, wiping the tears from his face.

Kira smiled. "My name is Shashiya Kira, carrier of the two tailed Cat Koneko!"

Naruto couldn't help but giggle, despite the urgency of his mission. "Koneko? Kitten?"

Kira laughed as well. "Yeah, Koneko insisted that was her real name!" Naruto nodded thoughtfully, then simply decided honesty was best.

"What are your special powers?" he asked inquisitively. Kira grinned.

"I was wondering when you'd ask. When I convert my chakra to demonic nature, I gain incredible reflexes and speed. However, and I'm sure your eyes clued you in on this, there are a couple permanent changes from my chakra being almost completely converted to the demon nature: the backs of my hands have become as hard as steel, which was what allowed me to stop your sword," Kira said. Then she mumbled something Naruto didn't catch, despite his enhanced hearing.

"What was that, for some reason I couldn't hear." Naruto said innocently. Kira blushed.

"And when I fall, if I don't try to change my descent, I will always land on my feet," Kira said defiantly. Naruto smiled.

"That's pretty cool. I get monstrous chakra and monstrous chakra regeneration, enhanced speed, reflexes, and strength, and the ability to form my demonic chakra into just about anything I want, like those tails. I use Kyuubi-tails a lot because they're the most versatile!" Naruto proclaimed proudly. Kira was wide-eyed with shock.

"That's amazing! Just how powerful _is _Kyuubi, anyways?" Kira asked in awe. Naruto lost his cheerfulness once again.

"He _was_ the most powerful being in the world, but he was sealed within me by my father at the cost of his life and my chance at a happy childhood. The Kyuubi is now gone forever, as I have completely absorbed him and have become a hanyou, half-demon," Naruto said without emotion. Kira just shook her head.

"You to, huh? I can't say the same for the childhood or the father thing, but that's how I am right now; half human, half demon, and soon my chakra will be all-demonic and I'll get that speed all the time! Yay!" Kira exulted mirthlessly.

Naruto laughed at her sarcasm, causing Kira to blush. "Yeah, well at least we use our power for good!" he said mockingly. Kira returned his laughter.

Once they quieted, however, they realized something. Trusting his feelings, Naruto leapt to his feet just as a man wearing white robes and a brown rice hat with the kanji "Rock-shadow" on it.

"Tsuchikage-sama!" Kira said, likewise leaping to her feet and bowing. "How long have you been listening?" she asked worriedly. The Tsuchikage raised palm.

"Only for almost the entire conversation. You: Uzumaki Naruto! Yes, I know who you are, and who your father was. Please come here," the man said firmly. Naruto, unafraid and confident he could handle anything the man could do, approached him. To Naruto's ultimate shock, the Tsuchikage bowed.

"I must express my deepest condolences for you, Naruto-sama. I understand that you, and also the world, has lost Jiraiya of the Legendary Sannin, and for that I am sorry. I also feel that I must express my sorrow for your past, though I learned of that years ago from Jiraiya-sama," the Tsuchikage explained.

Naruto was dumbfounded. "How… why are you…?" he stuttered. The Tsuchikage laughed.

"My boy, you must understand: I am not the Fifth Tsuchikage who led Iwagakure to war against Konoha, our once-longtime ally. No, I am the Rokudaime Tsuchikage, and I understand you are soon to be the Rokudaime of your village as well, hm?" the man, whom Naruto guessed to be in his thirties, said confidently.

"Yeah, I am! How did you know?" Naruto said, reverting to his usual, cheerful self.

"Just a guess." The man winked. "And now, I must tell you that you must hurry, Naruto-kun. I have a terrible feeling that Akatsuki will reach your village before you do, though there is some good news to counter that: Gaara, the Yodaime Kazekage, is on his way to the Konoha-Iwa border now, where he and another young man will rendezvous and await your arrival. You will travel with them to Konoha with all haste, and I pray to the gods that you are not too late."

Naruto reeled backwards, stunned. "Dammit! God-#$&$# dammit! Kira, let's go!" Naruto shouted, and made to run off.

"Tsuchikage-sama, what the hell is going on?" Kira yelled. The young leader calmly placed his hand on her shoulder and smiled sadly down at her.

"Kira-chan, my dear, it is time for you leave Iwagakure. Perhaps," and here he looked at Naruto, who shifted awkwardly, "you may never come back. Whatever happens, please remember me and your home. But now, you must go with Naruto-kun, though you do not know him. You must get to know him, because you must fight with him in the greatest battle of your life," the Tsuchikage said calmly. "I fear for your life against your adversaries, the Akatsuki, but I know that the Kira-chan whom I personally trained when your sensei lost her life is more than ready to grow in strength to meet their challenge," the Tsuchikage finished softly.

Tears poured silently down Kira's face. "This is all so sudden…" she said haltingly.

"I know," the man in brown and white said, pulling Kira into a brief embrace. "But it is necessary. Now go! And remember Iwagakure!" And the Tsuchikage gently pushed her towards Naruto, who without hesitation grabber Kira's hand and pulled her away at a run.

As Kira settled into a quick run slightly behind Naruto, she looked back at her mentor.

He waved once, smiling sadly, and then melted into the rock.

Naruto didn't look behind him once, and he didn't hear anything to make him do so. However, he didn't need to to know that Kira was crying.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered as he ran for home.

Gaara stood, for the first time he could remember, patiently. Haku was, however, bored out of his mind.

"When is he gonna get here?" Haku demanded loudly as he paced back and forth a hundred meters or so from the Rock Country border, directly in Naruto's travel path. Gaara looked at him oddly.

"Why don't you use the sight of the falcon to see just where he his?" Gaara suggested mildly. Haku stopped pacing and stared.

"Hey, you're right! Again!" Haku exclaimed happily, setting about to the task. Gaara shook his head at Haku's seeming obliviousness to the seriousness of the situation. _But if Naruto trusts him with at least a portion of his village's safety, then I suppose I can trust him._

"Hey!" Haku said suddenly. "I can see him! Naruto's coming this way, and I think he's got a new friend! And it's a girl!" Haku said. "They'll be here in a few minutes."

And just as Haku predicted, Naruto and Kira arrived in the clearing of forest Gaara and Haku had picked for their stakeout.

"Are you well-rested?" Gaara asked Naruto and the girl.

"Nice to see you too, Gaara. Yeah, we're fine; the benefits of our furry little inhabitants. Kira-chan, meet Sabaku no Gaara, carrier of the one-tailed raccoon Shukaku, and Haku of the six-tailed Falcon. Haku, Gaara, this is Shashiya Kira, carrier of the two-tailed cat Koneko," Naruto said, pointing to everyone in turn.

"Good. Now, Naruto, Hokage-sama said you'd have some sort of plan," Haku asked Naruto bluntly. "Because, frankly, I'm counting heads and I don't like the odds."

Naruto nodded grimly. "It's worse, too, because Akatsuki has always had its members travel in pairs, and they are very good at working together to devastating effect. So here's the plan: we have no experience working together, except I know everyone's abilities here. I also can predict with some amount of certainty that Akatsuki will try to divide us up and take us on separately because, given our village background and general personality, they will expect us to work together. So we won't."

"But Naruto, this is Akatsuki! They're so strong and-" Kira began to protest, but Naruto cut her off.

"-and they're only hanyou, just like us," Naruto said, finishing her statement. "We are, in fact, better equipped to use our unique powers than they are. I will admit, they are incredibly formidable, but we _do _stand a chance," he insisted. Gaara nodded in agreement.

"They will view Naruto as the biggest threat, and will have two of their members attack him, sparing one each for each of us. Akatsuki members are not used to not having a partner to watch their backs, and we have a chance. It's not a given either way, and we will have to fight with all our power to stand any chance at all," Gaara clarified. Naruto grinned, but there was no mirth.

"My friends – and I do see you as friends – this is it. This will probably end up being the greatest battle of our lives. This seems crazy, too; we've all only just met each other, and now we're running headlong into almost certain doom," Naruto admitted.

But as he looked around the clearing, his spirit was lifted.

There stood Gaara, whom he had once fought to the brink of death, only to befriend him in later years. All because they had shared a very, very dark past together, and Naruto and Gaara were able to overcome their differences and find that they shared a very special bond.

Kira, feet now firmly planted by his side. When she noticed him looking at her she blushed slightly but held his steel blue gaze. Naruto had just met her, but like Gaara he felt as if he had known her forever, even if she did have a much more fortunate childhood than he, as she had related her past to him on their trek out of Rock Country. He felt connected to her, somehow, whether from the bond that comes from battle or something else, Naruto felt as close to her as he did his most important persons. He hoped she felt the same.

Then there was Haku, looking slightly cheerful, not a mood that Naruto remembered seeing much on the young man. But Naruto had to admit, all those years ago when they fought that battle on what became the Great Naruto Bridge, they had formed a bond there too, a bond that began when Haku found Naruto sleeping off a training session in the forest and Haku had taught Naruto what it meant to be truly strong.

"_Do you have anyone important to you, Naruto-kun?"_ _Haku had asked._

_And Naruto had thought of Iruka-sensei, Kakashi-sensei, Sakura-chan, Sasuke, Konohamaru and the old Sandaime. And he had replied,_

"_Yeah, I have important people to protect! Yeah!"_

_And Haku had smiled._

"_You will become truly strong, then, Naruto-kun."_

"Gaara, Haku, Kira-chan… I think we're gonna win," Naruto said softly. Kira looked at him strangely, as did Gaara, but Haku smiled serenely, knowing what had caused Naruto to suddenly become so optimistic.

"We fight not for ourselves, but our friends and family, and for each other, right?" Naruto asked hopefully. He looked from face to face, and with each nod his soul lifted. Kira placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Naruto, I'm fighting for everyone back at Iwagakure, but for some reason… no, because you are an important person to me, even if just for a short while, I fight for you as well," Kira said softly, yet with determination and confidence.

"And I as well," Gaara stated with a small smile. Haku grinned cheekily.

"Geez Naruto-kun, I didn't think you'd remember what I told you all those years ago!" Haku said mockingly, but Naruto was pleased to see that his brown eyes were glistening.

Naruto grinned. "So that's it, then. We are, truly, strong. Akatsuki don't stand a chance!" Naruto shouted, pumping a fist. Kira giggled.

Naruto lowered his arm to indicate Haku. "Haku, take point. Gaara, Kira-chan, form up behind me! To Konoha!" he shouted.

And the clearing was suddenly empty, the four heroes leaping from tree towards their fates, and whatever lay beyond.

As they flew through the trees, Kira moved forward to line across with Naruto.

"Yeah, Kira-chan?" Naruto said as he turned to face her. To his shock, she kissed him on the cheek. He blushed furiously. "Kira-chan, what the hell?" he protested. "I have a, a-"

"Thank you, Naruto-kun, for those words earlier. Back in Iwagakure I don't have many… that is to say, any real friends, except for the Tsuchikage. So thank you," Kira said softly.

Naruto nodded, smiling back at her. "I really do think of you as an important person, Kira-chan. Even though we just met, and I already have a…"

Naruto trailed off, and Kira looked ahead, seeing why.

Why, indeed.

Before them was Naruto's home and birthplace, the Village Hidden in the Leaves, Konohagakure, a ninja village founded on the hopes and dreams of a few men, men who passed those hopes and dreams on to their citizens who created an idea, a belief, that Will of Fire which made Konohagakure famous for its dedicated, honorable ninja and its loyalty to its allies and friends, allies and friends which were protected with the lives of Konoha shinobi and kunoichi.

Konohagakure, for all its Will of Fire and exceptionally talented ninja, was gone.

The wall and gate which faced the Rock Country was gone, and through that gap Naruto, Gaara, Haku, and Kira could see that much of the village was gone as well. Large murky swamps surrounded the ruins of the village in which were submerged the bodies of dozens of ninja. The great Hokage Monument still stood, now pockmarked with craters. Beyond the swamps, which extended into the village a few hundred meters, the once-proud buildings of Konoha lay, not one left standing, crumbled and crushed by the force of the attack of the ninja in black cloaks with red clouds painted on them. Though there were none of those among the dead.

"Oh my…" Kira whispered, turning to look at Naruto, pain etched in her green eyes.

Gaara stood in shock too, as he recognized a few of the dead shinobi and kunoichi. "My men… I sent a battalion to back up Konoha's forces ahead of me, but I never… they were…." A lone tear escaped his eye as he gazed upon the devastation.

Haku stared. He could do nothing but gape at the Village which was to be his new home, a home he could have shared with new friends. Now this home was torn from him too, with such absolution that Haku would do nothing but stare.

And Naruto…

Naruto fell to his knees before his home, his treasure, that which he had recently been anointed to protect with his life.

"_I think we're gonna win!" _he had said.

"_We fight not for ourselves, but for our friends and family, and for each other, right?" _he had said, not hours ago.

A wind swept from the village. Naruto smelled the air, smelled fire, hatred, desperation, and sorrow.

Naruto stared, then let his head bow itself, no longer able to keep it poised. This time, faced with so much tragedy and destruction, he did not cry. Numb, anger began to course its way, burning and consuming through his veins, until thoughts began to enter his mind like a hurricane.

_Sakura-chan, Sasuke, Lee, Ino, Chouji, Shikamaru, Kakashi-sensei, Konohamaru-chan, Tsunade-baa-chan, Shino, Kiba, Neji, Tenten, Busho, Iruka-sensei…_

_Hinata-chan…_

_Hinata-chan!_

"RAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!" Naruto yelled with all the pain, anger, sorrow, grief, fear, and desperation of someone who has just realized that he has lost the only things worth living for, worth protecting.

Then he stood, and to the questioning, desperate stares of Gaara, Haku, and Kira, he said:

"Let's go in."

* * *

So yeah. That's how it goes. Clarification will come next chapter; I'm working on it now, and the way it goes down is pretty cool (at least, I hope it will be!). 

Thanks for reading! Tell me what you think!


	30. Aftermath

sniff I've come so far. And there's so far to go! Hell, I'm still amazed I've been able to write along with everything else that life throws at me.

Lots of blood and language in this chapter; like I warned y'all, its only gonna get darker.

Read and enjoy! (I can only hope… oh, and here's a throwback to previous chapter openings!)

_

* * *

_

Chapter 30 - Aftermath

_Crunch._

_Crunch._

_Crunch._

Was the noise Naruto's boots made on the dirt as he walked.

The blonde made his way toward what remained of one of the village gates, images flooding his mind. Vaguely the impression of the two hell swamps which now flanked the ruined gate made his way into his mind…

* * *

"_Shit, holy fucking shit, this is absolutely unbelievable!" a Konoha chuunin shouted as the waves of black-cloaked shinobi began their assault on Konoha._

"_NOW!" the cry came from far away, a voice no doubt magnified by chakra. "SHOW THE AKATSUKI WHO THEY FACE! NINJA OF KONOHA: ATTACK!"_

"_**Doton: Yomi Numa!"**__ came the cry of the select jounin. Konohagakure shook with the force of the techniques combined as the plan of Shikamaru was enacted. A total of six hell-swamps were created, the effect far greater than what Naruto had described from Jiraiya-sama's fight with Orochimaru – the effect expected of the technique. The areas affected by the hell-swamps became immediately inaccessible as one Akatsuki clone of Hidan demonstrated by attempting to chakra walk. He was immediately absorbed into the swamp with a cry almost completely muffled by the nightmare of chakra and bog._

"_HRAAAAAAAAHH!" The Konoha ninja yelled. As the cry swept up and down the front lines, Akatsuki attacked…_

… which made him stop to think. Naruto stared at the swamps, seeing how they limited access to Konoha. "They funneled the attack into the gates, creating choke points to limit the number of ninja they had to fight at once," Naruto mumbled to his friends who had to run to catch up with the blonde. They gathered around him to see him staring at a brown-haired ninja wearing a Konoha hitai. He was sprawled on the ground, a kunai clutched in each hand and a gaping hole where one's chest usually is…

"_It's working for now," the jounin shouted into his earpiece as his squad engaged the Akatsuki clones along with other squadrons of shinobi and kunoichi. "The clones are even less effective than we anticipated, as if Akatsuki went with quantity over quality. But spread the word: don't get cocky! Some of them are bound to be stronger than others, so don't drag out your fights! Killing blows! We are ninja!" he shouted into his mike. "Remember to cycle out the tired with fresh ninja so the injured and exhausted can recover!" he added, noting that some ninja were starting to show signs of fatigue._

_A clone of Deidara dropped in front of him. The Konoha jounin snarled and leapt at him. The Deidara clone threw some clay spiders at the jounin, but they passed through harmlessly. The clone knew death then as the jounin emerged from the ground after using a Doton technique to get behind him and sever the back of Deidara-clone's neck._

'_Another down,' he thought. He turned to face the next ninja._

_And was killed as a Kakuzu clone thrust its black chakra-controlled threads through the jounin's chest. Not even bothering to steal the organs, the clone immediately turned to find fresh targets, though it was immediately beset by other Konoha and Kusa and Suna ninja…_

* * *

… and Naruto knelt down, bringing the index and middle fingers of his right hand to his own hitai, then touching the jounin's forehead protector in salute. Then he continued his morbid stroll through the mausoleum that he was sworn to protect with his life. As he walked he was greeted with the signs of a furious struggle. As he walked, he also noticed that there were four kinds of corpses: Suna ninja, Kusa ninja, Konoha ninja, and then another type of ninja upon which the hitai's of a village that was not immediately recognizable to Naruto. Then it hit him. 

"Ame…" he said. "Akatsuki's… that leader's clones came from Amegakure…. Is that where he's from? Is that where Akatsuki's base is?" Naruto said aloud.

"I'm pretty sure that's a safe bet," Kira offered, but her reply was met by Naruto's back as he moved on down the pock-marked streets of his home.

Haku met her gaze briefly, nodding slightly. Kira sighed and cast about for Gaara, who was following Naruto but moving from ninja to ninja bearing the hitai of Sunagakure, mumbling as he went.

Naruto walked on, aware that his companions were following. Then he arrived at a very familiar destination, in front of which lay a very familiar pair…

* * *

"_C'mon, Akamaru, our comrades need us!" Kiba shouted as he rode his faithful companion through the streets of Konoha._

"_I know!" the matured dog replied, jumping over and around explosions and allies alike as they headed for the front as ninja from the aforementioned hell hole retreated to the rear, where they would be patched up and sent back to stem the oncoming tide of red clouds._

_Then Kiba and Akamaru arrived at the battle for the East Gate, where they immediately began tearing apart the Akatsuki clones in a whirlwind of fur and claws. Akamaru was as strong and as fast as a wolf, and Kiba was no less ferocious as they worked together to tear apart clone after clone with their berserker speed and power._

_Suddenly a fireball came out of nowhere. Mentally communicating with Akamaru, Kiba and his partner managed to escape with a few other members of their squad; however, a few chuunin and a jounin were still caught in the blast._

"_Dammit!" Kiba shouted. "Akamaru, get the injured back to the rear! I'll hold off whoever did that 'til you get back!" Akamaru barked in assent, waiting until Kiba tied an unconscious chuunin and a moaning jounin onto his back before leaping away._

_Kiba turned to face the Itachi clone that launched the fireball, staring at his chest and avoiding staring into the Sharingan at all costs, trusting in his smell and hearing to guide him to victory._

_Engaging the clone in battle was taxing; the clone was one of the better made and he fought with more of Itachi's grace than any clone he had ever faced on that day. Finally, the clone of the elder of the prodigal Uchiha landed a blow to the stomach which left Kiba gasping for air. Without any emotion the clone brought a kunai down into Kiba's skull, where it embedded itself – into a hunk of rubble from one of the surrounding buildings. Unwilling surprise was the last thing the clone felt before Kiba tore it in half with the claws earned from the Beast Mimcry jutsu._

_He turned, panting, to see Akamaru running towards him. He moved to meet his partner for his entire life, but something white and buzzing whizzed by his ear._

"_AKAMARU! RUN!" Kiba shouted as he formed two seals for a family technique that would place him by his dog's side instantly. His intention was to take Akamaru and replace them both with rocks. It worked, but the Deidara clone's plan worked perfectly as it hurtled forward and exploded…_

* * *

… a pair famous for its teamwork. Naruto looked up from the corpses of his friends, Kiba and Akamaru, and stared at the devastation, recognizing the Uzumaki Clan home where he once spent so much time in but recently had not the time to stay for long. He reached around to feel for his weapons pouch and, reassured by the bulk of a scroll which sealed away all the important texts and documents in the house, returned his gaze to Kiba and Akamaru who lay beaten and bruised on the ground before him. 

"Kiba… Akamaru-kun…," Naruto whispered. He felt his heart clench in pain and he gripped his chest. "Why… how?"

"Naruto-kun," Kira whispered. She went to place a hand on his shoulder, but he was already moving away. Gaara walked by her, pausing.

"Just follow." And then he was gone, moving to the next Suna kunoichi. Haku followed behind the gourd-bearing Kazekage eyes downcast. Kira shook her head, tears forming as she took in all the death.

Naruto had taken three steps away from Kiba when he simply stopped and sank to his knees. There, lying on the ground in front of him, ground soaked with blood, was Genma, the examiner from the third part of the Chuunin Exam all those years ago, the Chuunin Exam in which Naruto met Jiraiya and Sasuke received the Curse-Seal; the year when everything began to change…

* * *

"_Genma, we're being overrun! We're actually winning if you count the bodies, but they keep coming like there's no end to them! We're losing too much ground to the Hokage's mansion even with those choke points!" a chuunin yelled as he fought with a cackling Kisame clone._

"_You just don't understand, Hiro," Genma said in reply. Then he simply stopped moving. His opponent, a Hidan clone and not one to let an opening pass by un-exploited, thrust his scythe at Genma._

_To Hiro's and Hidan's utter shock, Genma whipped the pine needle he always kept in his mouth and stopped the scythe's descent by simply imposing the needle in between one of the blades of the three-headed hybrid weapon. The clone looked at the impasse with puzzlement, then he didn't look at anything at all as Genma slashed at the clone's neck with the needle, opening a wound so great the clone slumped to the ground immediately._

"_I've been gradually feeding this needle with chakra for years," he remarked to a shocked Hiro as various clones approached them on the battlefield of Konoha's streets. "It's stronger than anything, and it is my last resort. Remember the Will of Fire, Hiro. Someday it will save your life, assuming you can use it now to save your home," Genma said jokingly as he ran to fight the group of clones on his own._

_As he fought, he appeared to be winning, using that single needle to slash and slice his opponents to pieces from meters away, using the chakra stored in the needle to extend the cutting range like Asuma's wind-charged knuckle-blades. He was winning until a Kisame clone shaved open his side so that a few ribs were showing._

_As Hiro fought a clone of a woman with long black hair and an origami rose, he noticed this and began to cry for assistance._

_Then he realized that Genma had baited the Kisame clone to do just that, and watched as Genma proceeded to remove the clone's head and fight as though he was unscathed. More and more wounds appeared on his body, but Genma's performance did not falter in the slightest. Finally, a Deidara clone lost patience with the tornado of death that was the Konoha jounin and rushed into the fray in a kamikaze explosion, killing all of the clones along with Genma, who was blown into the ground._

"_Genma!" Hiro shouted. He maneuvered the black-haired woman into a hold and swiftly twisted her neck, dropped her body and ran over to his friend._

"_Ah… to die in the service of Konoha and my Hokage," Hiro heard Genma whisper with a small smile. Then he exhaled softly and was gone…_

* * *

… change, just as it was doing now. Naruto looked around at all the bodies of the clones which bore the death blows of Genma, then back at the jounin who, in death, looked as though he had been at peace right before he passed into the next world. 

"Genma… you fought with the Will of Fire, didn't you? Just like ojii-san…" Naruto said softly, referring to the Sandaime Hokage's battle with Orochimaru in which the great Sarutobi had used the technique which had sealed away the Kyuubi inside Naruto to defeat Orochimaru; even though the Snake Sannin escaped with his life, the victory belonged to Konoha that day.

He got up from beside Genma's body and turned to face his teammates. They stared at the shinobi before them who had so recently spoke of friendship and victory.

"We need to go to the center of town," he said monotonously. "That's where the battle will have either ended or will still be fought. But quietly: I don't want anyone knowing we're here, yet."

"And what are we gonna do when we find the real members of Akatsuki, Naruto-kun?" Haku asked, breaking his silence. Naruto nodded.

"Kill them, of course. I want a gallon of each of their bloods to have left them before they even realize we ended their lives," Naruto replied humorlessly. Haku nodded, somewhat unnerved by this change in the boy he knew.

Naruto turned away towards the Hokage's mansion, which was now visible from the street they stood on, and walked towards it. Kira, Gaara, and Haku followed, readying themselves for conflict, for they all knew a fight with Akatsuki would not be as short as Naruto wished it to be.

Finally, they arrived at the center of Konoha. The Great Hokage Monument loomed over them, out of which craters had been carved, signs of a battle fought at its base. The center of Konoha itself was even more disturbing than the whole of the village combined. Bodies of Ame ninja who had been clones were piled in the streets which led to the mansion…

* * *

"_This is it," Tsunade said grimly as the remaining ninja in Konoha's defense force gathered in the square and were tended by medical ninja. Distant explosions, signs that the traps laid for Akatsuki clones were being tripped, signaled to the ninja that their enemy was approaching and would meet them in combat soon. "This is where we MUST hold them. They cannot be allowed to even enter the mountains," she said softly. She had grilled this mission objective into the army: let no one enter the mountain at all costs, because your women, children, brothers and friends are in there._

_Then the enemy arrived and it was bloodshed. Konoha led the day, but Akatsuki's numbers never seemed to end…_

* * *

…which was surrounded by corpses, almost exclusively Rain ninja. 

"By the Kami themselves…" Gaara whispered. "How on earth did Akatsuki hide so many ninja?"

"I think they were created from Amegakure's standing ninja forces the day Kusagakure was attacked," Naruto replied.

"But the chakra that must be involved with that technique," Haku rebutted softly. Naruto shook his head.

"Not if the ninja were volunteers," Naruto said. Then he gazed at the Hokage mansion, which was missing its front, having been blown away or ripped apart…

_

* * *

_

_Then suddenly, the village center quieted as the last Akatsuki clone was killed. Tsunade paled._

"_What's wrong, Hokage-sama?" one of her attendant jounin asked worriedly. Tsunade became even whiter._

"_We obliterated the first wave," she replied softly. "I wasn't expecting them to come at us so quickly, so hard; now, all Akatsuki has left are the original members. I don't think even they had thought of a situation where we defeated their clones so quickly." 'Thank Kami-sama Shikamaru did,' Tsunade thought thankfully._

"_So we do it?" the attendant asked, all fear gone from his voice. Tsunade nodded, and he disappeared._

_Tsunade stared at the battlefield, at the ninja who were now looking up at her with puzzlement as the sun set behind her…_

* * *

…apart. Through the hole it was possible to see inside Tsunade's office. 

Inside that office stood a single figure. He wore a black cloak on which were painted red clouds, and had short brown hair; his body was surrounded with orange chakra. Naruto recognized him from the communication he had with a similar figure in Sunagakure.

"The leader," he whispered. He motioned for Kira and Haku to take cover on his right, and for Gaara to hide on his left. They complied without question, for which Naruto was grateful.

He was grateful because he immediately drew Makai from his sheath. Gathering a large amount of chakra, so much that Kira was amazed the figure didn't react, Naruto scribed a certain seal on the leader of Akatsuki's back. Kira recognized the glow of the chakra as the same seal which was on the three-pronged kunai Naruto was using in his battle with her recently. Naruto crouched into a left-foot leading right-foot back position, sword hilt at his hip, blade pointing forward and slightly up.

Then he disappeared in a flash of black and yellow light, reappearing instantaneously behind the figure in the Hokage's office. As he reappeared, so did Makai…

…SQUELCH!...

…which was immediately thrust into the heart of the man standing before him. The katana cut through the strange chakra with the same swift ruthlessness it pierced his heart.

The man, however, did not move, save for a low rasping sound that Naruto recognized to be laughter.

"I'm not sure why your laughing," Naruto said slowly. "I know this is really you; a bijuu's chakra signature is unmistakable," he said as Haku, Gaara, and Kira jumped up into the office, expressions of disbelief and awe at Naruto's speed.

"No, you're absolutely correct," the brown-haired man said in a very confident voice. "I am dead, now. That was some incredible speed there, Naruto-kun. I had no idea that technique could be used without the seal."

Naruto shook his head. "I did use the seal; I sacrificed a large amount of chakra, large even by my standards, to project and 'write' the seal on your back." He twisted Makai, and the man gasped. "It was worth it."

"It most certainly was. In fact, I'm so impressed that I'm going to cling to life just a moment longer to explain a few things to you, things that you will find out eventually. However, I'll save you the time for reasons I'll carry with me to the grave, though I'll admit one reason is that I'm very angry at someone. I'm dead, make no mistake; you might as well listen to what I have to say," the leader of Aktasuki said dryly.

Naruto nodded. "Makes sense to me; the 'villain's exposition'. I get it."

The leader raspe, "That's an interesting way to put it. My name is Pain, and I am from the village of Rain – Amegakure, once under the lordship of Hanzou, once under my lordship, though obviously no more."

Naruto glared. "You think to claim that Hanzou-sama was somehow defeated?" Pain nodded.

"I killed him myself, by myself," he affirmed. "It was difficult, let me assure you, but I did kill him, along with his family, friends, and supporters to ensure that my ascension was complete."

"Why?" Naruto breathed, shocked at the man in front of him who spoke or destroying lives, hopes, ambitions, and dreams as one might comment on the weather.

"So that the village could be put to the use of war," Pain replied, as if it were the most obvious answer in the world. "You see, the world of today thrives on war, and the suffering that accompanies it. I and Zetsu, the second ninja to wear this cloak, created Akatsuki so that we would be the ones who would control that war and, thus, the world. By absorbing the bijuu we would become the ultimate ninja. Hidden Villages would buy 'missions' from Amegakure, and we would be the deciding factors in inter-village warfare. We would be able to control the fate of the countries themselves," Pain said. Naruto noted that while he spoke of his ambitions he did not, as most men did, allow his voice gave no impression of pride or greed.

"But obviously, your plan didn't go down the way you wanted it to," Naruto said after a pause. Pain nodded, and then coughed up a large quantity of blood.

"Yes. Thanks to the efforts of your team, many members of Akatsuki have been killed, converted, or their bijuu have been rendered useless." Pain coughed some more, every heave bringing up more blood. "So we changed our plans and decided to cripple the Hidden Villages using my cloning jutsus on the ninja of Amegakure to give them the superior abilities of Akatsuki members before they absorbed bijuu. The jutsu works by taking chakra from the ninja to be cloned and merging it with the chakra of the willing volunteer; since the ninja of Amegakure think of me as God, there was no shortage of volunteers," Pain remarked. He paused as if to gather his thoughts, and continued.

"After their devastation the citizens of the Hidden Villages who were once protected by their shinobi would seek a new refuge. Enter Amegakure. But this time, three factors prevented this from coming true," Pain added, coughing some more.

Naruto's eyes widened. "My killing you and Konoha annihilating your army are two, correct?" he asked. Pain nodded.

"The third was something I could never have expected in my wildest dreams. I recently discovered that-"

And without warning, Pain lost consciousness and slid off the end of Makai with a sickening sound of fluid, coming to a crashing halt on the floor of the Hokage's office which was now covered with Pain's blood.

Naruto cursed at having been left in the dark just before the revelation of a bit of information he had not anticipated…

* * *

"_Tsunade-sama, do you really think this'll work?" Hinata whispered, wiping some blood from a cut on her forehead. She grimaced._

"_There's really only one way to find out," she replied. Sakura grinned._

"_The hard way!" she whispered loudly, bringing her fists together quietly._

"_Shh," Sasuke hushed Sakura, who glared silently at him in return. Eyes of jade met eyes of crimson and black; eyes of jade looked away with a grumble._

"_Never have a staring contest with an Uchiha," Itachi offered dryly as he hunched to avoid smashing his head into the rock above him._

"_True, in more ways than one," Lee said in agreement._

"_All of you shut up!" Tsunade said softly, which relative to their whisperings was an earth-shattering bellow. "We just need to be patient now. Naruto's team will be here any day now, so we just need to wait."_

_She turned away from them abruptly, frowning. 'There's no way we can take on the Akatsuki now,' she thought worriedly. 'It's all up to Naruto, now.' She settled down for a long wait._

_'Patience…'_

However, all their plans were brought to a crashing halt when a very unpleasant aura began to permeate the cavern that Konoha's surviving ninja were holed up in.

"Found you..." a voice whispered.

* * *

Well, I feel I have to apologize for the drop in chapter length; it IS midterm week, after all. 

Review, my friends. Review.


	31. The Power of the Bijuu

So yeah, here it is. I had one helluva tough time writing this one; been too long since I wrote a really tough fight scene like this one. I still think the balance is off, but I'll let you be the judge of that.

Enjoy!

Oh, and btw: my efforts to buy Naruto have as of yet failed, so Masashi Kishimoto still owns Naruto.

* * *

Chapter 31 – The Power of the Bijuu 

"Found you," Zetsu pointed out redundantly as he fully emerged from the cave floor. Tsunade glared at him for a moment, then suddenly smiled. The impassive Zetsu was caught off guard.

"Why are you-" He began to ask angrily, then decided it wasn't in his best interests. Or rather, Tsunade made that decision for him.

BLAM! Went his body as it hurtled upwards through the ceiling of the underground cavern Tsunade and the others had bunkered down in. Tsuande grinned even more ferally.

"You may have the power of demons, but I'm still the Hokage around here, dammit!" she shouted. "If you think you can just waltz into this village, wreck the place, and leave, you've got another thing coming!"

Tsunade leapt out of the cavern to meet Zetsu, who had by now fallen back to earth to land on two feet, that strange venus fly-trap twitching excitedly. The two combatants faced off in a curiously convenient mountain valley behind Konoha, complete with rocks, trees, and the occasional lake.

"Ah, but such power! I haven't felt a blow like that in ages; it seems the super-human strength of the legendary Tsunade meets all expectations!" Zetsu growled excitedly, rubbing his chin where Tsunade's fist and chakra collided.

"Damn straight," Tsunade shot back as quite a large group of ninja jumped out of the cavern behind her.

"Your orders, Tsunade-sama?" Neji asked, speaking for the very large group behind him.

"Act as you see fit, Neji. You're all jounin and chuunin now; if you feel that you all could fight, and another enemy presents himself, do so. I do have one request, however," Tsunade said, looking directly at Hinata.

"Hinata and Sasuke, go into Konoha and wait for Naruto's group to arrive. As soon as they do, bring them back here!" she shouted, as she began to run towards Zetsu.

"Osu!" Hinata and Sasuke replied, disappearing.

Tsunade nodded to herself in mid-charge, then smashed her fist into the mountain behind Zetsu, after he had dodged by a hair. The mountain, predictably, shook, and a mini-rockslide resulted from Tsunade's titanic strike.

Neji watched, awed, then pulled himself together and nodded. "Alright, what are we just standing here for? Attack! Split into the teams you know best and bring that bastard down!"

* * *

Naruto stood staring at Pain's crumpled form, for a moment at a loss for what to do. 

Fortunately, fate has a way of introducing the next path. The commotion from Tsunade's missed punch reached Naruto's keen ears, and he started.

"Naruto-kun, what's wrong?" Kira asked worriedly. Naruto shook his head.

"Nothing! Didn't you hear that noise? Someone's fighting in the mountains!" Naruto said urgently. Haku nodded.

"I got it too – hey, look!" He shouted suddenly, noticing two figures in the distance.

Naruto turned to the direction Haku indicated and lost his breath. There, in the distance, were two of the people Naruto was worried the most over.

"HINATA-CHAN! SASUKE!" he screamed, and Gaara wondered if it was possible to convey more relief. He watched as the two figures drew in closer. Sasuke stopped a few feet away, but Hinata kept moving and hit Naruto so hard that if it was anyone else they would have been bowled over. Naruto simply reacted by enveloping his love in a bone-crunching embrace.

"Naruto-kun! Thank goodness you're here!" Hinata said breathlessly.

"We've got quite a situation in the mountains," Sasuke clarified. "Hokage-sama is fighting this weird plant-guy, and we think the rest of Akatsuki is close by. Come with us; maybe we can all surround that lone member while he's still fighting." And he turned to run. Naruto, however, did not follow, and Sasuke turned to face him. "Naruto, your questions will have to wait until after Akatsuki is dead; for now, get a move on!" he shouted.

Naruto shook himself and nodded. Hinata tugged him forward, and he grinned half-heartedly, giving her a peck on the cheek and signaling his team to follow.

Sasuke led them through the trees behind the Hokage mansion until they entered a narrow mountain crevice. He motioned for them to continue single-file, which they did until they emerged into a very open area where an admittedly expected surprise awaited the Konoha ninja.

"Yeah, it's about time you showed up, Uzumaki Naruto," Kakuzu drawled as unbuttoned his cloak and let it fall off his stitched-together body. "I've been looking forward to this little… wait a sec," he broke off, examining Naruto's friends.

"It seems he found some… interesting allies," Konan said softly. "There are four jinchuuriki against just us two."

"Well, that won't matter," Kakuzu replied, flexing his arms as if experimentally. "We can-"

But he was interrupted when a large quantity of sand erupted from the ground beneath him. However, he simply jumped backwards a few feet; the sand responded by recoiling and spearing itself towards him, catching Kakuzu on the arm, which was then torn off.

"Save your words," Gaara drawled. "It is time for you to die."

Kakuzu laughed as he extended his black wire-stitching and reattached his arm. "Oh, there will be death, and it may even be me, but you'll have to kill me quite a few times before I stop killing you."

Naruto finally snapped out of his mini-funk. "Kira, you and I will take the woman; Gaara and Haku take Kakuzu. Sasuke and Hinata-chan, get back to Tsunade-baa-chan and let her know that we have engaged two members of Akatsuki and will join her when cleanup is done." Sasuke turned to leave, but Hinata was a bit more reluctant.

"Naruto-kun, why can't we stay here to help you?" Hinata pleaded, though she already knew the answer. Naruto smiled sadly.

"It's not gonna be safe here for much longer," he replied. "Please help Tsunade-baa-chan, and I'll go to you as soon as I can, okay?"

Hinata nodded. "I love you, Naruto-kun."

Naruto nodded. "I know; I'll come back, Hinata-chan. I promise!"

She nodded, and with a small smile took off after Sasuke to return to their Hokage's side. Naruto in turn faced Kira and tilted his head towards Konan. "Let's go, Kira-chan." He closed his eyes, concentrating. When he reopened his eyes they were a dark red, and his hands became claw-like while his whisker marks became more defined.

"My, you're escalating this fight rather quickly," Konan observed. "Summoning such chakra already-"

"Shut up," Naruto commanded, interrupting Konan's little speech. "You have no idea who I am or what I can do, or who any of my friends are or what we can do; all you've ever cared about is the demons inside of us. You think the information you have is all well and good, but in reality you have no idea of what it is to be a jinchuuriki," Naruto growled, spitting out the last word like it poisoned his tongue.

"Your words betray your ignorance," Kira added as she converted her chakra to its demonic nature. "Naruto and I no longer have to 'summon' demonic chakra; it is a part of us just as our bijuu are. We are no longer human, yet neither are we demon; it is a transformation all jinchuuriki undergo which turns them into half-demons. Naruto, Gaara, Haku, and I are all half-demons, no longer members of the human race. _This_ is our burden, you stupid little bitch, and you will die for trying to use us!" Kira shouted as her canines elongated into fangs.

As one they rushed the black haired woman. Konan simply drew two slips of paper out of the folds of her cloak and flung them like shuriken towards Kira and Naruto.

As he charged, Naruto saw with his shirugan that they each had a certain nature of chakra infused into them. "Split!" he yelled suddenly, realizing what those pieces of paper were about to do. Kira reacted instantaneously, leaping away to the right while Naruto extended his hand to the left, shooting out a tail of red-orange chakra which dug into the ground served as an anchor, which he used to pull himself away from the missile headed for him.

The papers hit the ground. One exploded in a flash of orange flame, while the other went _into_ the ground, where it disappeared beneath the earth, leaving behind a small slash mark where it entered.

"Unbelievable," Naruto said. "Did you shape the chakra for those papers when you pulled them out of your cloak, or were they prepared?" Kira's eyes widened as she realized what Naruto was implying.

Konan smiled softly. "I molded that chakra when I pulled the paper out; it's a precaution I take when fighting against a doujutsu that can see chakra. For anyone else that would be impossible to mold two different chakras at once from one hand, but for me it isn't a problem." She smiled wider, seeming a little less stable. "No one can match me for chakra control."

Naruto grinned viciously, baring his fangs. "My girlfriend could. She's prettier than you, too."

Konan's grin became a grimace. "Clever, but I doubt that." And she threw a few more papers in Naruto's direction so quickly they blurred through the air.

Naruto disappeared just as quickly, leaving the papers to wreak random elemental havoc on the ground where he once was. Searching for an opening, he threw some kunai of his own; however, Konan simply drew forth a single small sheet of paper and slashed at the kunai. Noticing the wind chakra molded into the sheet, Naruto was not surprised when the missiles were shredded in midair to drop to the ground in pieces. Cursing, he formed the ram seal and gathered his chakra.

Konan did not have time to savor her brief advantage as Kira came from behind. "Gotcha!" she crowed. "Bet you're terrible at taijut-"

But Kira was cut off as Konan's elbow connected with Kira's stomach. She doubled over, and Konan followed up with a vicious kick that came too fast for Kira to block, let alone dodge. She flew back from whence she came with a sickening thud.

Konan straightened with a toss of her raven hair. "I'm Akatsuki, foolish child. You think I have a weak area in my talents as a kunoichi?"

Then she stilled as she felt Naruto gather a large amount of chakra. She turned to face nine tails of his hellish corporeal chakra hovering above his body.

"It doesn't matter if you don't," Naruto pointed out. As he said so, the tails quivered faster. "It doesn't matter, because it's not how one uses their weaknesses, its how one uses their strengths."

Kira watched from the ground as the tails arched behind his head to poise for striking, like the tails of a scorpion.

"**Demonic Taijutsu: Kitsune Tail!"** Naruto growled, charging. Konan nodded, pulling forth eight slips of paper, four in each hand held between her fingers. Naruto noticed that the chakra pushed into these was different than any other element she had used so far.

Before Naruto could reach her, she whipped through a few seals of her own, ending on snake. "**Cover!"** she yelled, and the papers whirled around her hands before covering them like a glove.

She blocked Naruto's first strike with ease, the tail actually being halted by Konan's paper-covered hands. Kira attempted to attack again as well, calling upon her demonic nature to increase the speed and accuracy of her unique taijutsu. Konan was pressed hard and fast, unable to make an attack on her own under the combined onslaught of Kira and Naruto. They worked unusually well together, ducking while the other jumped in for a strike, weaving while the other dodged, trying to create openings in Konan's defense.

_

* * *

_

Kakuzu stared at the pair who had been ordered to, "take him."

"Well, let's get this over with. I can't believe I'm fighting for no profit, though," Kakuzu drawled. Gaara nodded.

"I've heard of you, now that I think about it. Kakuzu – you're that bounty hunter, aren't you?" Gaara asked curiously, showing no emotion on his insomnia-affected face.

"Yeah, that's right," Kakuzu replied. Strange black threads appeared to writhe underneath his stitched together skin. "I've been around long enough to have fought the First Hokage, and have brought in more bounties than any other man alive."

"You're still alive?" Haku asked innocently. "But surely you're older than Konoha's Hokage, right? No one could have possibly lived since the time of the Founding of Konoha as you claim and still appear so young."

Kakuzu laughed. "You're a strange one," he replied. "See these faces on my body?" he asked, indicating what Gaara and Haku had taken to be masks stitched onto his torso. "They represent the hearts I've absorbed to prolong my life. I've got four right now, but I have a feeling yours will make excellent contributions to my longevity."

Gaara shook his head. "Your twisted existence ended the moment Naruto requested that my… partner and I take care of the obstruction you pose to our advancement." As he declared the unfortunate Akatsuki member's fate, sand trickled from his gourd and revolved around him like a shield. All the while, he showed no emotion.

"Aw, c'mon Gaara-kun! No evil laugh, or proclamation of goodness? Do you feel any emotions at all?" Haku asked playfully, pretending to ignore the imposing threat before them and turning to directly face Gaara.

"I feel hunger," Gaara admitted, catching on to Haku's game. Haku mock-frowned.

"What about smiling? Don't you smile?" Haku pressed. Gaara shook his head.

"What the fuck!" Kakuzu shouted. "I'll fucking kill you!" he yelled, reaching back and launching his right arm at the pair.

It impaled both of them. Black threads shot through their bodies, displacing their blood with a merry splat.

Then their blood and their bodies began to melt away. Gaara collapsed in a pile of sand, while Haku's form gave a merry ploosh and dissolved into water.

Kakuzu leapt back just in time to avoid the two bodies of sand that Gaara directed from the ground to trap Kakuzu in a pincer motion. Spared of that agony, he was then treated to the claws of Haku. He fell from the sky like a bullet, bring his hands in the shape of claws down on Kakuzu's head. Gaara noticed that from his fingertips extended needles of what appeared to be ice.

An explosion of dust and smoke resulted from Haku's sky-dive. From that cloud came the sound of more fighting, then Haku flew backwards with his arms covering his face. He skidded to a stop next to Gaara, who calmly waited until the air cleared to reveal a very pissed-off Kakuzu.

"You came very close to getting one of my hearts, gaki," Kakuzu growled. "It seems you can mold your chakra to be permanently demonic. Fine," he spat out, whipping through some seals and ending on tiger.

"**Katon: Karyuu Endan!"** he howled, and one of the faces on his chest expelled a massive fireball. Before it completely left his body, Kakuzu was forming another technique.

"**Futon: Howling Gust!" **he shouted again, using his own head to launch the ninjutsu. The result whipped the fireball which was now a few meters away into a firestorm of wind and flame.

"Holy shit!" Haku yelled, forming a one-handed seal and pushing his left palm forward. A sheet of ice appeared in front of him and he leapt into it as the firestorm passed him by.

_Handy,_ Gaara thought as he solidified the sand from his gourd around him in a sphere. After he felt the chakra from the jutsu dissipate, he formed his trademark eye of sand outside the sphere.

"And now you'll attack from that sphere of sand. Stupid; I've already fought you, remember? Kakuzu scoffed.

Gaara, in the safety and privacy of his sphere, smiled widely.

Sensing the danger, Kakuzu brought his left arm around and blocked Haku's two-footed kick to his right. Releasing the threads in his right arm he pushed it under his outstretched left and out at Haku.

Haku grinned, turning in midair and bringing his feet in so that when Kakuzu'z threads reached him he actually pressed his feet against them and pushed himself backwards into his mirror of ice which he had used to sneak up on Kakuzu. As he disappeared the threads smashed into and through the ice.

Haku reappeared next to Gaara's sphere. _No way I can use my ice prison jutsu against _him, Haku thought.

Then he was forced to leap away as the earth around him rose from the ground. Kakuzu scowled as his attempt to spear the young ninja failed.

"Gaara! C'mon and get a move on!" Haku yelled as he was once again forced to jump away by the relentless attacks of Kakuzu's black threads. "Geez, how much chakra does this guy think he can afford to waste? Not even _we_ have unlimited chakra!" Haku protested as he dodged the chakra charged body parts of Kakuzu.

Then the attacks stopped in mid-lunge. Haku froze as he looked at his assailant. A large spear made seemingly out of sand protruded from Kakuzu's left shoulder. The head was enormous, covered in red-markings. Kakuzu coughed.

"**Spear of Shukaku,"** Gaara said tonelessly. Behind him, his spear of sand collapsed.

"When did you leave your shield?" Kakuzu asked as the mask Gaara impaled fell off with a splat of blood.

"I was never in it for long," Gaara replied. "The minute you began to attack Haku I left the spear entirely and went underground. It took so long because for me to move underground I need to convert the soil to sand; I can't use Doton techniques."

Kakuzu chuckled. "Well you managed to kill _one_ of my hearts. Congratulations; four more to go," he said mockingly. Strange black and white chakra began to seep out of Kakuzu's body. "But I'm afraid I can't let you take any more."

Gaara glared. "So you're finally brining it out."

Kakuzu laughed. "Finally, an emotion!" Then he began to attack anew, this time by using three of his limbs at once, always balancing on at least one hand or foot at a time. Every now and then a mask on his body would belch out a random fire, water, or lightning technique, often one of the more powerful variants.

"Shit! How the hell does he do so many things at once!" Haku asked Gaara as he dodged a dragon of water, flipping around to aim his next technique at the Akatsuki member. Haku threw his palm towards the watery remains of the expired jutsu. Needles of ice formed out of the water which Haku directed towards Kakuzu. They were met by a limb of black threads.

"The four-tailed monkey, Saru," Gaara replied, trying to think of a way to get at Kakuzu's hearts without turning the valley into a sandy wasteland. Unfortunately, this eliminated most of his best techniques. "That would explain his ridiculous dexterity and ability to do different things with all his limbs at once," he added, dodging Kakuzu's other leg and arm at the last minute as they tore through the shield of sand which automatically defended him. "I really need to find some way to improve this thing."

And the battle raged.

* * *

And oh, how it raged. 

Konan had finally broken away from Naruto and Kira. Despite the odds against her she had managed to "slice" away three of Naruto's tails, though she admitted there wasn't much she could do to the girl; her taijutsu was simply too exotic to counter with the added pressure the Kyuubi-carrier was putting on.

So she spun where she stood, becoming thousands of pieces of paper which fluttered and flapped in the wake of the pirouette.

Naruto grinned. **"Katon: Goukakyu no jutsu!"** he howled, expelling a modest fireball from his mouth. The resulting flames completely enveloped the papers.

"Got her!" Kira said exultantly. So she was shocked when out of the wake of the fireball came a pair of papers. Before she could get out of the way completely, they sliced through her left arm. Kira cried out more out of surprise than pain, and the rest of the papers swirled together in a mini tornado before vanishing altogether.

"Kira!" Naruto shouted. "Kuso! What the hell!" he shouted.

"Do you have any idea how many times some baka has tried that?" Konan's voice replied, seemingly from nowhere. "Before I inhabit the paper, I change my chakra to its demonic nature, allowing me to regenerate the wounds I get instantly."

Naruto shifted his head to the side to allow a single sheet to fly by. Before it passed him completely he caught it and brought it directly in front if his eyes.

"Reveal," he muttered, writing a kanji on the paper.

"You possess the five tailed snake, Orochi, correct?" Naruto asked, turning around to face Konan who now appeared to be emulating a paper-bunshin.

"Those eyes are impressive," Konan admitted, knowing they left her at a disadvantage. "But they won't make a difference in the fight to come."

Naruto grinned. "Baka; you've only recently had a demon planted within you. Do you have any idea what long-term effects there will be? What the effect on a kekkai genkai might be? On my particular kekkai genkai, the one from which the Byakugan and, by extension, the Sharingan come from?"

Konan shook her head. "So what, those eyes are like the other two combined?"

Naruto shook his head. "Originally it had its own unique set of abilities; for me, it's a combination of all _three_, though my ability to predict movements and copy jutsus is nowhere near an Uchiha's. But I can still do it."

Konan grinned and formed the seal of the tiger. The paper Naruto was holding exploded, launching him backwards.

"Kuso," he mumbled as he picked himself off the ground. "I didn't think that was possible," he said rhetorically as he got up, greeted by the sight of dull-white chakra enveloping Konon. Curiously, all of her papers were affected as well.

"You two together are strong, but not enough to defeat me," Konan declared.

Green chakra leaked out of Kira's form as a thin tail began to form from behind.

Naruto stood tall and proud as he ripped all the chakra he had stored in its demonic form from his chakra circulatory system. His hair became a blonde mixed with dark crimson-orange highlights, and his Shirugan changed from blue with a silver pupil to dark red with a blue pupil. Seven tails exploded out of his back and two limbs of chakra grew down from his arms and extended a few feet further out of his hands.

"**You foolish woman,"** Naruto growled, and it appeared that his voice was also affected by the amount of demonic chakra in his system. **"You have no idea what kind of power the Kyuubi no Kitsune possessed while he roamed the mortal world and beyond."**

Kira shuddered. The handsome blonde she had only recently met had become a fearsome creature of death. She looked down at her own body. Her hands had become claws and her fangs had elongated even further, and her chakra came very close to Naruto's.

But the difference wasn't really in terms of power or form, unless you counted the corporeal chakra that was one of Kyuubi's trademarks. No, it was the massive murderous intent that the chakra emanated.

Konan realized that she was about to die.

"This is completely ridiculous!" she yelled, losing what shreds of control she had clung to. "I am a member of Akatsuki, notorious for being composed entirely of S-class criminals capable of bringing villages to their knees! How is it that you two will defeat me so easily! HOW IS THAT YOU ARE SO KAMI-SAMA-DAMMED POWERFUL!" she screamed.

Naruto glared. **"I was born into suffering, born of suffering, born by suffering. My life, my existence, was suffering. I never had a family, I never had friends, I never had an existence to call my own, aside from the labels 'demon' and 'monster' that were given to me by my own home, a home which had once praised my family as the defenders of Konoha, the home which my father died to save, which I saved by bearing burden to the terrible force of nature and Hell that was the Kyuubi no Kitsune, Nine-Tailed Demon Fox and Lord."**

Kira's eyes widened as she learned of Naruto's past, which he continued to relate in that demonic growl. **"However, I did not die. I found friends, acceptance in someone who used to see for the Kyuubi but understood that I was no different from him. I **_**earned**_** my friends, rather than finding them. Everyone I have ever met, their acceptance… it was earned through my sweat and my blood, and by spilling the blood of others. I fought for this village, defending it from a maddened Gaara. I died for this village in an effort to return a once-insane Uchiha Sasuke from the grip of Orochimaru-teme. I brought my village its Godaime Hokage. And then, I trained for three years under the Legendary Sannin Jiraiya so that I could rid the shinobi world of the likes of **_**your**_** organization!"** he took a breath.

"**All of this was done for one reason, and one reason alone: to protect my precious people."** He leveled his right tail so that it pointed at Konan's face. **"And you destroyed my village, killed my precious people, and you wonder how I am strong?"** Naruto questioned.

"True strength comes from the desire to protect the ones precious to you, to fight for them, bleed for them, and if necessary, die for them so that they might live," Naruto intoned, and as he said those words his voice softened to its normal tones. Kira felt a breeze blow through her very soul, as if Naruto's words carried some inner power and strength.

Konan nodded, regaining control of her emotions. "Believe it or not, Uzumaki Naruto, I understand where your strength comes from."

Then she looked him in the eye. "But you have no idea where my strength comes from!" she shouted, spinning in place and launching a stream of papery projectiles as Naruto and Kira.

Kira ducked and dodged with all her grace and agility, slicing and blocking the sheets before they could cut her again. After setting her feet properly, she launched herself into a dash towards Konan, cutting at the never-ending stream of white as she went.

Naruto simply walked towards the Akatsuki member. The concentration required to control the tails was so great, it limited any other action. _I guess this would be my weakness; someone like Kakashi or Itachi would be able to exploit it with their ninjutsu._

However, Konan's barrage was destroyed by his tails of chakra, which whipped and shredded anything that approached.

So she stopped moving completely, halting all motion so that her paper hung in the air.

"**Detonate!"** she yelled.

"Shit," Naruto said, before his world was engulfed in flames. Right before the explosion, he saw something white flash towards Kira.

* * *

"**Suiton: Suiryuudan no jutsu!"** Kakuzu shouted, and his remaining left shoulder mask began to belch forth the third water dragon of the fight; the other two had wrought havoc on Haku and Gaara. 

But this time Haku was ready. Using the speed of his bijuu he appeared to teleport to the spot right in front of Kakuzu's line of fire; in reality, he sprinted there. Reaching one hand out, he injected a large amount of his own chakra into the head of the water dragon as it emerged, manipulating the chakra in the way Haku knew best. The dragon was turned to ice, which Haku shattered. The impact and shockwaves traveled into Kakuzu's body, as ice shards and waves of force battered the heart stored underneath the mask.

As Kakuzu coughed up some blood Haku jumped away, breathing heavily.. The whole process of getting to Kakuzu and freezing the dragon had taken less than a few seconds, but an enormous amount of chakra.

Kakuzu laughed. "Getting tired, boy? Running out of chakra?"

But he was forced to leap away as Gaara sent his sand towards Kakuzu in another effort to crush him.

"Futile," Gaara observed as Kakuzu fell for the trap. The minute he jumped back Gaara brought forth his contingency. A very large claw attached to an even larger hand erupted out of the ground behind Kakuzu and grabbed his entire body.

BOOOM! Went the hand as Kakuzu's black threads exploded outwards. Gaara, however, refused to let his prey go. Reacting with inhuman swiftness and ruthlessness that surprised even him, he had the hand snatch at Kakuzu's retreated back with its claws, gathering the necessary chakra.

"**Desert Coffin!"** he shouted, constricting every grain of sand in the arm simultaneously.

The result of Gaara's quick reactions lay on the ground in a bloody heap: two masks.

Two less hearts.

"Kuso," Kakuzu growled.

Then he coughed up blood as Gaara made yet another red-marked spear and grimly drove it directly into Kakuzu's chest.

"Please," Haku said cheerfully now that victory was assured. "You didn't really think you could win against the two of us? I mean sure, you're strong, but-"

He was cut off as Kakuzu's body exploded outward, black threads flying, seeing to impale. Despite Gaara's efforts to dodge, close combat was never his specialty and the threads caught him in the right shoulder.

"GAAAAH!" Gaara yelled as they were yanked out, Kakuzu being unable to support them nor himself.

"Hyah!" Haku yelled as he dove at Kakuzu, impaling him with senbon needles of ices. Kakuzu gurgled and moved no more.

"Damn…. Brats…." He said weakly as strange chakra began to dissolve his body.

"Gaara!" Haku shouted to his companion. "Gaara, how is it? Is it gonna be okay? He asked worriedly.

Gaara coughed up some blood. "Yeah, I'll be fine. If it wasn't for you Konoha ninja wounding me for the first time all those years ago, I probably wouldn't be able to control the urge to kill. But now…" and he looked over to Naruto and Kira fighting amidst a swirl of paper.

Haku grinned. "He's something else, isn't he?" Gaara nodded. Then the remaining battle between Kira and Naruto disappeared in a flash of flame and noise.

* * *

Naruto coughed and banished his chakra, shaking a little from the exertion of controlling so much power. 

Then his now-blue Shirugan widened as he saw what Konan had done. Relying on her regeneration and speed she had using the ridiculously powerful diversion to take Kira as a hostage, paper poised at the young red-head's throat as she stood behind her.

"You think you know the deal, Naruto," Konan said viciously. "But in reality, these situations are far more futile than they seem."

And without further hesitation or preamble, she drew the paper across Kira's throat.

"KIRA-CHAN!" Naruto howled, launching a kunai at Konan, who simply let Kira's bleeding form drop to the ground and used both her palms to capture the speeding missile between them.

"Foolish boy-" she began once again, then stopped, eyes widening.

The kunai's three prongs glittered in the sunlight inches from her nose.

"No…" she whispered.

Then she lurched forward as Naruto inserted Makai into and through her heart. The blade began to glow blue again, and Konan screamed.

"My chakra! AUGH-IT'S…it's burning up! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Konan screamed as the blade burned her demonic chakra from the inside.

_This must have been what Busho was talking about all those years ago,_ Naruto thought. _He mentioned the blade was no ordinary katana; no wonder Dad was able to fight the Kyuubi._

He yanked the blade out, still unwilling to cause anyone unnecessary pain, even though they were his enemies. Konan slumped to the ground, blood forming a pool around her; she made no move to stop the blow.

"I feel so… empty…" she murmured softly. Then she collapsed and was no more.

Naruto stared at the corpse for a minute as off-whitish chakra began to dissolve the body, then remembered something that made his blood run cold.

"Kira!" he yelled as he sprinted to the crimson-haired kunoichi.

But when he got there, it seemed that she was beyond repair. Blood flowed freely from the wound in her neck: Konan had cut straight to the jugular.

"Kuso!" Naruto yelled, lamenting his lack of talent in the area of medical ninjutsu.

So it was to his great and overwhelming pleasant surprise when Kira sat up suddenly, the wound healing so quickly Naruto could see the skin and muscle knitting together.

"How…" he wondered aloud, sure that no one other than himself possessed such regenerative capability, though he seemed to forget Tsunade's creation jutsu and the much more recent example of the regeneration of the White Snake demon.

"Haven't you heard, Naruto-kun?" Kira said softly, for now she was completely bereft of chakra and her throat still burned. "Cats have nine lives…"

And she collapsed into his arms. Naruto smiled at her unconscious form, then picked her up and secured her in a piggy-back.

"Good to see you haven't lost your touch," Gaara said, observing the almost-gone corpse of Konan the Origami kunoichi. Naruto shook his head.

"It was a wash; those fights shouldn't have lasted so long with two… of our ki-… two bijuu-containers teaming up against one," Naruto said, struggling with words that he could deal with saying without feeling like slandering himself. Then his mouth dropped. "Gaara, your shoulder!" he said anxiously, pointing at the offending wound. Gaara shook his head.

"It's fine." And that was all.

"We still need to regroup with the survivors," Haku pointed out. Naruto nodded.

"C'mon; there's still a few more of these bastards to deal with." And he turned, Kira on his back, towards where Sasuke and Hinata had gone.

_Hinata-chan… Sasuke, Sakura, Baa-chan… everyone… hang in there!_

* * *

And so, it ends. Tell me whatcha think! 

Oh, and yeah: I am well aware, my japanese sucks. But hey, I try.


	32. The Way of the Ninja

Jeez, it's about time, neh? Sorry to keep you all waiting so long, college is really hard and stuff.

This chapter is slightly shorter than some of the others, sorry 'bout that. Next one will be the ultimate climax; after that, only one more chapter! That's right, this story is coming to its conclusion soon!

As for this chapter, I make some assumptions and there are some manga spoilers, as well as my own judgments on certain stuff.

Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 32 – The Way of the Ninja

Tsunade and Zetsu rocked the canyon around them with enough destructive force that even Neji showed outward signs of being slightly phased.

The rest of them weren't so subtle.

"HOLY SHIT!" Chouji yelled after Tsunade picked herself out of a hole in the side of a cliff, brushing off debris from her shoulders and forming chakra so that her hand cackled with electricity. She paused, noticing the small crowd of ninja watching the battle.

"WHAT ARE YOU, SPECTATORS!? WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN TRAINING TO DO YOUR ENTIRE LIFE!" Tsunade bellowed, louder than ever before, surprising even Sakura, her apprentice, with her ferocity. She formed a quick seal sequence and slammed her hands into the ground. The ground exploded around and Zetsu found himself encased in a rocky prison, buying Tsunade some time. She breathed deeply and rounded on her soldiers.

"You have been trained your entire life to be ninja. Up until the past few days you've been led to believe that even the life of a ninja can have a sense of normalcy. Get a mission, go assassinate some asshole or escort some big-shot, come home with barely your lives, get paid, and do it all over again. Well, that's a bunch of bullshit. Your generation hasn't had a shit's worth of an idea of what a real war is. Well kiddies, welcome to war," Tsunade said.

"Damn," Sakura said. "That was… out of character."

"That was an understatement," Shikamaru drawled, shaken by the Hokage's outburst.

"People die in war. You've seen the bodies: Genma, Kiba. They all knew what it meant to be a ninja of Konoha, to possess the will of fire. They knew that we are in a war, and that means your life is on the line, all the time. So get moving! We are all that stands between this asshole and Konoha's utter annihilation!" Tsunade yelled.

Zetsu chose that moment to send his roots to return the favor to Tsunade, having escaped the rock prison awhile ago.

The root caught Tsunade by surprise and ripped her arm off at the shoulder.

At least, it would have if Hinata hadn't sliced it into little stick-sized pieces with her chakra beams.

Ino's eyes went wide. "That was really hot," she said, awed. Hinata blushed.

Lee shook his head. "It was, but that was nothing. Watch this!" He shouted. Motioning to Tenten and Neji, he dashed in front of Tsunade towards Zetsu, who began to form a seal sequence. Neji and Tenten fell into pace behind their fuzzy-browed companion, arms trailing behind.

"**Mukoton: Forest Creation Jutsu!"** Zetsu said. Immediately a forest began to grow from the ground, exploding out of the earth with incredible destructive power.

This did nothing to deter Lee, Neji, or Tenten, all of whom unleashed their attacks with practiced ease.

Zetsu found himself under attack from razor-sharp wind chakra, a seemingly endless barrage of weapons released from an oversized scroll, and a green blur.

As they hurtled towards the Akatsuki member they noticed that he had begun to glow with a dull off-white chakra. Moving with incredible speed, he shot an arm out and formed a wooden shield from the trees which now surrounded the battleground. While he used this to block the weapons his other arm caught Lee's foot inches from his face. Swinging the boy around, he flung him away, then dashed off himself, allowing Neji's air-palms to fly harmlessly by.

He was given no chance to rest as Chouji, Ino, and Shikamaru took up the offensive. Shikamaru sunk into a shadow while Chouji simply roared and charged, enlarging his hands and swinging them _through_ trees, where Ino simply darted between them, hurtling kunai at the flytrap-encased ninja.

"My turn," Sasuke said quietly as Ino's kunai were slapped away, along with her. He nodded towards Hinata, who caught the gesture and understood what Sasuke was planning. He ran through the trees towards Zetsu, who was trying to fight Shikamaru as he appeared and reappeared out of the shadows. Seeing Sasuke approach, he winked, retreating into the darkness.

Ducking, Chouji's form flew over his head and he snapped his hands downward. Two Chidoris sprang to life in his palms and he began to run circles around Zetsu.

"What's he doing?" Zetsu muttered.

"Yeah, what?" he said as if in reply.

Then "they" were answered as Sasuke began to rip through the newly grown trees, which began to fall around him, some of them quite close for comfort. Zetsu smiled and began to weave through the trees, yellow eyes tracking Sasuke's movement. As he cut through one tree, he suddenly found himself hurtling through the air. Looking back, he saw Zetsu grinning, a new piece of the woods jutting upward from the ground. He landed on his feet, glaring in mock anger at the Akatsuki member.

All of this happened in the span of a minute or so. Zetsu laughed maniacally.

"You see! Normal ninja cannot compete with me! There is not a power in this world that can defeat me like this! No one!" Zetsu howled.

PAFF.

Zetsu lurched forward, blood spewing from his mouth as incredible pain spiked into his stomach, but the attack wasn't over. Hinata pummeled away, forcing chakra spike after chakra spike into Zetsu's body from behind, striking the heart, liver, kidneys, and lungs, destroying them systematically with precision that scared the shit out of Neji, who watched in awe. _I think I can do that,_ he thought warily, _but that's really scary._

Zetsu let loose one more spurt of blood after Hinata finished, breathing heavily. He did a mental check of his vitals.

"You… bitch…" he said softly.

"Yeah…" he said, again as if in reply. "Bitch…"

Then he slumped forward to take a dirt nap in his new forest.

"Shit… Hinata-san just killed a member of Akatsuki!" Tenten shouted.

Tsunade huffed. "I would like to think that I helped." Then she smiled. "But credit for the kill goes to Hinata. Good work; Naruto would be proud."

"But how?" Ino said confusedly.

This time, Shino responded. It was the first time he spoke since witnessing Kiba's death. "A true battle between ninja is not a battle at all. It should all be over after a few seconds, after which one ninja should have quickly and efficiently dispatched his opponent. There is, in all honesty, no honor in a fight between two or more ninja. Surprise, deceit, cunning, strength, stealth; all are used in conjunction to deliver a death blow. Battles are prolonged because one ninja counters the deathblow of his opponent; every time you attack your opponent, if your attack is successful your opponent should either die or be placed in a situation where he can no longer win."

Everyone stared at him; he bowed his head.

Tsunade walked over and clapped him on the shoulder. "Well spoken," was all she said.

Shino nodded.

"HEY!" A voice yelled. "What the hell happened here?"

Hinata looked up with such joy that Sasuke, who walked over just in time to hear the end of Shino's speech, thought she would explode with emotion. Surveying the carnage, he could understand the blonde dobe's outburst. The little mountain valley which they had just torn up was littered with fallen trees, upright trees, splintered trees, a lot of shattered rocks, and one dead Akatsuki member.

"What d'you think?" Sasuke said with a sniff as Naruto walked over, Gaara, Kira, and Haku bringing up the rear.

Naruto grinned at his best friend's belligerence.

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata yelled, embracing her boyfriend.

"Hinata-chan," Naruto said softly, squeezing her gently and resting his chin on her head. He met eyes with Tsunade. "What's the situation?" he asked calmly, though his Shirugan flickered red as he asked the ultimate question.

Tsunade sighed. "Many, many, many ninja have fallen; I'd say about as much casualties as the Sand-Sound attack – half our forces."

"God dammit," Naruto cursed. He took stock of his friends, a small smile forming on his face. "Where are the rest of the ninja?" he pressed.

"The rest of our jounin and chuunin, plus all of our genin are guarding the civilians," Tsunade replied. "Not even I know where they are at this point, but they are definitely safe." She in turn examined Naruto's battered friends.

"Kazekage Gaara, it is good to see you alive and mostly well," Tsunade said formally. Gaara smiled slightly.

"'Mostly well'; that's one way to put it. It is good to meet the Legendary Sannin Tsunade," he replied, bowing. Tsunade in turn placed green glowing hands on the wound in Gaara's shoulder.

"Thank you," he said gratefully when the deed was done. Tsunade smiled in reply and moved to Haku.

"You must be Haku," Tsunade said. He nodded, grinning.

"Nice ra-" he began, but was silenced by Naruto's foot slamming down on his own.

"When the hell did you go from being a quiet, reserved kid to a hormone-driven smart-ass?" Naruto whispered. Haku grinned sheepishly.

Tsunade shook her head, glowering at the boy. "I'll let that slide since you helped Naruto out; Konoha will always be grateful." Haku smiled sincerely and bowed.

"And you," Tsunade said, moving on to Kira, who was doing her best to hide behind Naruto's presence, "are someone I have never heard of, nor seen, but your identity is as plain as your green eyes and red hair."

Kira's eyes widened and she tried to hide her forehead protector. Tsunade noticed this and sighed. "I don't care that you're from Rock."

Kira froze, bringing her hand down and meeting Tsunade's gaze. "You… you don't?"

Tsunade shook her head, and now she was grinning. "No, I don't. In fact, I'm glad to see that Iwagakure hasn't been brainwashing their children to kill Konoha nin on sight, let alone help them take on an organization of S-class criminals."

Kira smiled with relief. "Anything to help Naruto-kun." Naruto grinned.

"So you'll stay in Konoha, right?" he said half-serious half-joking. Kira laughed.

"For awhile," she replied seriously, causing Naruto to laugh as well until he realized that she was serious. He looked her in the eye.

"To help my new friends rebuild their village, baka," she said in response to his incredulous look. He shook his head in disbelief.

"Anyways, your help is greatly appreciated. However, for now we have unfinished business to attend to," Tsunade said sternly. Naruto looked puzzled.

"The tenth member of Akatsuki, baka!" Sakura screeched. "Jeez, you're such a klutz!"

After blowing Sakura a raspberry, Naruto nodded. "I have no idea who he is or what he looks like, though. I don't Jiraiya ever got that information before he died."

Tsunade shook her head. "He managed to get his defining characteristic: the remaining member wears an orange mask with a black spiral centered on only one eyehole."

"That's good to know; however, I'd like to avoid fighting him if we can. We're all pretty beat from the last few battles. How many jounin do we have guarding the civvies right now?" Naruto asked.

"About 54; why?" Tsunade asked, confused. Then she smiled. "Smart plan, Naruto-kun."

"Wait, I don't get it," Haku chimed in.

"Since there's only one enemy left, he can't pose that much of a threat to the civilians, but he's still a threat. So we'll pull most of the jounin from the guard but not all and all of us will find this last guy and force him to surrender," Shikamaru said lazily.

Naruto laughed. "I was thinking we could gang up and beat him up, but Shikamaru's idea is better!" Shikamaru sighed and looked at the clouds as everyone groaned.

"Naruto, make sure you give Shikamaru a good job when you're Hokage," Tsunade warned. "You'll need him to help you do tasks you can't measure up to, like calculating tips at restaurants."

"Hey!" Naruto yelled as everyone found humor in the aftermath of the terrible war for their home. Then Ino realized what the Hokage had just said.

"Wait a sec – Hokage-sama, did you say 'when Naruto's Hokage?'" Ino asked, eyes widening. Neji, Tenten, and Lee, instead of turning to congratulate Naruto, crouched down low and covered their ears.

"What the…" Chouji began, but then stopped as his ears exploded.

"YOSH! THE FIRES OF YOUTH PREVAIL ONCE AGAIN, NARUTO-KUN!" Lee shouted exuberantly, and then everyone understood.

"Congratulations, Naruto," Neji said faintly. Even though he had prevented the full force of the vocal assault, his head was still ringing.

"Yeah, congratulations!" Tenten shouted, hugging an embarrassed Naruto. "Wait 'till I tell Dad!"

"Hey, hey!" Naruto said, raising his hands to ward off any other compliments. "We've still got work to, and I'm still just a jounin." He looked to Tsunade. "What are _your_ orders?" he asked plaintively.

"Oh please; you've never respected my authority, why start now?" Tsunade replied playfully, though a slight tinge of red appeared on her cheeks. "Fall into tight formation behind my lead; we'll head for the mountains and gather the ninja for a search."

* * *

Tobi sat atop the Valley of the End, foot tapping rhythmically against Uchiha Madara's head. 

"Mmm-m-mmm-mm-mm…" he hummed tunelessly, fingering the orange-spiral mask that covered his face.

In a fit of introspection he yanked it off, exposing his empty left eye socket. He reached a hand up to it, gently feeling the still-tender skin around the now scarred-over hole, then abruptly replaced the mask firmly and stood.

Running a hand through his hair, he thought briefly of the village he had just ordered to be annihilated. In truth, there was no real reason other than Konoha being geographically convenient to conquer after Grass, but after he realized that the remaining four jinchuuriki were to be gathered there he had ordered the full force of Akatsuki thrown at the village hidden in the leaves.

"And yet," he said aloud as he performed half-tiger, half-horse, and half dog with his left hand and passed it over his Akatsuki ring, over which popped a hazy blur in the air, "that seems to have been a mistake."

In the blur were supposed to be fingers, on which rings matching the ones worn by the organization would appear. When one member died or removed their ring from their finger, Tobi would know. Any member of Akatsuki could do this, but for some reason Tobi did it the most, more than Pain.

He grinned slightly, releasing the chakra that kept the jutsu active and formed the seals for Shunshin, moving so quickly that only the after-image of a lone Sharingan eye was present.

* * *

When Tsunade, Naruto, and co. arrived at the mountain hideaway, they were relatively unshaken by their ordeal. Anko walked over when she noticed the new arrivals dispersing amongst the crowd, talking excitedly about their successful battle with Zetsu. 

"We've finished taking a census, Hokage-sama," she said by way of greeting. "We have all 35 genin and the 54 jounin, but only 24 chuunin."

"Shimate," Tsunade cursed vehemently. "What about the civilian census?"

Anko gulped. "We… we're reporting 10 casualty in the population."

Tsunade sighed, and then straightened. "Well, that's 5 less casualties than the Sand-Sound invasion, isn't it?"

Anko stared, the deathblow she was expecting undealt. "Hokage-sama?"

Tsunade shook her head and smiled grimly. "We might as well be thankful for who survived, and grieve when the threat has passed. There hasn't been an action performed in this world that brought the dead back to life," she added poignantly.

"Anko-san!" a voice shouted. It was revealed to belong to none other than Konohamaru.

"Anko-san – Hokage-sama! And Naruto-ni-san! You're alive!" Konohamaru said happily.

Naruto sighed. "I get no respect," he muttered in response to the latest incredulous response to his ability to survive.

"_I _respect you," Hinata said sweetly, pecking him on the cheek. Naruto turned slightly red.

"_I_ don't," Haku said quickly, earning a black boot in the gut, which he dodged laughing. Naruto set his foot down pointedly and turned to Konohamaru. "What's up, Konohamaru?"

"Kakashi-sensei just left!" he said hurriedly. "He was telling us what the fighting was like out there, and then he suddenly stopped and went really pale! Then he formed a seal and poof! He was gone!"

Naruto looked puzzled. "Without even saying where he was going? That's not like Kakashi-sensei; usually he comes up with some really crappy excuse. It's crap, but he always has one."

Sakura nodded. "We're all under the mountain, where could he have gone?"

"There's a secret escape; it's only big enough for one person at a time, which is why it's kind of useless, but I'll bet he went up through there," Anko supplied.

"Moving at Shunshin speed? How is that even possible?" Kira wondered aloud.

"Like this," Sasuke said suddenly, pointing at his activated Sharingan. "When it gets to this level the user can see things as if they were moving at normal speed while in Shunshin. How Kakashi-sensei managed to train himself to react without an Uchiha body is incredible, though."

Naruto nodded. "It is; not even I can react perfectly in Shunshin, so I rely on my Shirugan and my own speed. Haku has that ability from the demon he holds, so he's alright."

Kira shook her head. "What a crazy village you have here; such incredible abilities and powers. I miss the good old days, when all a ninja had were his stealth, his taijutsu, a trusty kunai, and a good kawarimi."

Naruto looked at Kira oddly for a second. "I've heard that somewhere before," he said softly, before turning to Tsunade. "Shouldn't someone follow him?"

Then, another sudden arrival decided their next course of action. A small blue-and-brown blur shot out from the escape hole and shot towards them. Reacting with speed that made Tsunade swell with pride, Sakura snatched the blur and held it up –

by the scruff of his neck.

"Let go of me! Let – oh, it's you," Pakkun said when he realized who had grabbed him. Somehow he managed to twist around in midair to face the Godaime. "Tsunade, Kakashi found a member of Akatsuki and is in pursuit."

There was a brief pause.

"Naruto, you and your team will follow Pakkun to back Kakashi up. As for the rest of you!" she added, shouting to address the mass of people who were present in the mountain. "This is the end of the War for Konoha! I want every active ninja to report to me immediately for your next assignment! NOW!"

"HAI!" the voices shouted, and there was a scuffle of activity. Tsunade watched for a moment before snagging Naruto's arm before he could follow his team into the tunnel.

"Naruto," she said softly. He looked her, steel and silver blue meeting hazel.

He smiled. "I know, obaa-chan. I'll back, and so will everyone else," he said reassuringly.

She bopped him on the head. "Baka, I only wanted you to make sure that the Kazekage returned alive!"

Naruto laughed as he turned to go, and Tsunade made sure to rub a hand across her eye before returning to the ninja now assembling before her.

* * *

And there you have it. Tell me what you think and I'll finish the next chapter as soon as I can! 

Ja ne!


	33. At the Valley of the End

So yeah, Naruto rules and stuff. End of this story comin' up fast!

And so I present to you the second-to-last (and currently longest) chapter of True Strength! I hope you enjoy reading it, cause here it comes!

* * *

Chapter 33 - At the Valley of the End 

As Naruto fled the scene, a pair of Sharingan eyes watched them.

_Why hasn't anyone remembered me?_ Itachi thought grumpily as he got up from his conversation with the chuunin who guard the gate to Konoha and followed Naruto's team. _I'm good in a fight… I'm Uchiha Itachi, for the sake of Kami-sama!_

He ran and crawled through the tunnel after Naruto's team, grumbling about the cramped space.

* * *

"Alright, now where the hell did Kakashi run off to?" Naruto said grumpily. Haku raised a hand. 

"It was a rhetorical question," Naruto began, but Haku shook his head.

"Give me a boost." Was all he said as he pointed first to his stomach and then to his eyes. Naruto's face lit up like a six-year-old's on Christmas morning.

"Perfect!" he shouted, rememering Haku's ability of hawk-sight. Naruto crouched down and made a cup out of his hands. Haku stepped onto it, and with a heave Naruto sent him flying up.

And up.

And up, until Haku had cleared the surrounding trees by an extra hundred feet. He twisted in midair, scanning the surrounding countryside until he began to descend onto the cloud of sand which Gaara had thoughtfully summoned.

"Thanks, buddy!" Haku said cheerfully as he righted himself on the ground. Gaara made a show of grunting about being called 'buddy', but everyone knew he liked it.

"What did you see?" Naruto said, forestalling a potential outburst from Kira about the importance of expressing your feelings.

"Kakashi was pursuing a black-cloaked man. If my eyes are as good as this baka falcon tells me they are, they're heading for the Iwa-Konoha border," Haku reported grimly. Kira smiled at that.

"_We've _got nothing to worry about then," Kira said. "But Kakashi-san might, if he runs into anyone over the age of forty on his way there," she added grimly.

"Great," Naruto said. "How are we gonna catch up?"

"Maybe I can help?" Itachi said as he clambered out of the narrow escape hole. "Kuso, but that was tighter than I thought."

"Itachi-sempai!" Naruto said in surprise. "What the… where did you come from? Why are you here?" he asked with no small amount of confusion. Itachi bopped him on the head, showing no emotion on his face.

"I dunno, I was sitting in the cave and I thought, 'how come I wasn't invited to hunt down the last member of the organization I infiltrated for years?'" he said dryly. "Just 'cause I don't have a bijuu doesn't mean I'm useless in a fight, ya bums!" he added with a little humor. Naruto grinned sheepishly.

"Don't have to tell me," he said under his breath, recalling his previous encounters with the elder prodigal Uchiha. Aloud: "So what's your idea?" he prompted Itachi, who nodded.

"This is an interesting little jutsu I picked up over the years of training the Sharingan; it's something similar to Kakashi's dimension gate ability, only this one acts as a byway between two points in space. I won't bore you with the technical details (not that you'd understand them), but it essentially will take us closer to Kakashi and his target," Itachi explained, ignoring a predicted outburst from Naruto when he mentioned that he wouldn't understand the science behind the jutsu. "However, we can't instantaneously appear on the other side; a little time will pass. Just a little, like a minute or so."

"That still shortens the time like no tomorrow, pun intended," Kira confirmed. "Let's do it."

Itachi sighed. "If only it were that simple."

He formed a sequence of seven seals, ending on one only Haku recognized (having used it to activate certain jutsus of his own invention), and Naruto and his friends felt a surge of chakra, after which a circular hole in the air opened up before them.

"Looked simple to me," Gaara said stoically as he stepped into the portal. Itachi resisted the urge to kick him as he went through and motioned the others forward. Soon they had all entered, and Itachi jumped in as well, mumbling 'kai' as he went and shutting the portal.

_

* * *

Woosh._

_Woosh._

_Woosh._

The trees whizzed by in a nondescript green blur, and Kakashi could care less. All he could see was the black-cloaked figure in front of him as he leapt from tree to tree.

Suddenly, he stopped jumping. Kakashi followed suit to avoid getting too close to this mysterious individual.

The man turned around to face Kakashi, and he was struck again by a feeling he couldn't identify. It was the same feeling that caused him to leap to his feet in the cavern back in Konoha and follow the chakra signature he sensed. He was nowhere nearer to identifying it, but the feeling was the same.

"You deliberately flared your chakra," Kakashi reasoned as he puzzled it out in his head.

"That's right!" the man said cheerfully, almost childlike in his jubilee. "I flared it at just the right distance from you so that only you would detect it. Wouldn't want anyone interrupting!" he added.

Again, upon hearing the man's voice, Kakashi was struck by the feeling. Then, something strange happened, and the man's demeanor changed completely. Suddenly, Kakashi felt a new feeling, one that was very familiar to him. It was the feeling he got whenever he met someone with a most evil disposition, the kind of man with such malice and hatred in their hearts that it literally radiated from their person. He got that feeling from Orochimaru those years ago when he encountered the Sannin after sealing up Sasuke's curse seal.

"No, we cannot have any interruptions," the man said, and Kakashi noted that even his manner of speaking had changed.

"There are so many questions that need answering…" Kakashi said as he stared at the spiraling orange mask on the man's face.

The man laughed, quietly and with no mirth. "You are right; there were, after all, many different factions within Akatsuki that all sought the means to their own end. For a time, those means were the same, and so the organization thrived. Upon acquiring the bijuu, however, things began to fall apart, and I found that more direct methods of coercion were necessary to twist Akatsuki to my own will," the man said thoughtfully. Then he swiveled his head to that the hole in his mask faced Kakashi directly.

"I have the advantage over you, Kakashi, for as you see I know your name and yet you do not know mine," Tobi said suddenly. Kakashi's eyes narrowed. "My name is Tobi."

The feeling returned, accompanied by the unpleasant sensation that behind the hole in that mask was an eye, and it was staring directly at him. This shouldn't have been a bother, but for some reason the fact that this Tobi person seemed to be trying to stare _through_ him with his one eye was unsettling.

"Why the mask?" Kakashi asked. "Something to hide? Don't like having one eye? Y'know, you could just get a patch or something," Kakashi added.

"You are right," Tobi said. "Perhaps I should let you…" and he reached up a hand to remove his mask. Kakashi lifted up his hitai to reveal his three-dotted Sharingan eye. The man began to remove his mask, and Kakashi became aware of a surge of chakra some distance behind him.

Then the mask came off, and Kakashi stopped breathing. His heart joined his lungs for a minute of respite before his brain, which was going into overload, reminded it to get a move on.

Kakashi stared as the lone Sharingan eye of the man seemed to smile mockingly at him while Obito's mouth actually did so.

"Obito…" Kakashi said dumbly. For there, standing in front of him wearing a black cloak with red clouds, a ring, and holding a spiraling orange mask, was his dead friend.

"How…" Kakashi asked stupidly as he sunk to his knees on the tree branch he had commandeered. "How could you possibly have…"

"YOU NEVER EVEN SEARCHED FOR THE BODY!" Obito screamed, reserve gone. "YOU FOUND MY VISOR AND GAVE UP, LEAVING WITH THE EYE I GAVE TO YOU! MY PRESENT!" he yelled, and to Kakashi they were hammer blows.

Obito took a deep breath. "I was discovered by Deidara, who was on his way out of the country. He knew who I was; that is, he saw that I was an Uchiha. He was really young, so he picked me up and took me to a hermit's place where there lived a man skilled in healing jutsu. He fixed me up; I got up and left. When I realized that I had been abandoned, I swore that I would never return to Konoha again," he said bitterly.

"And you joined Akatsuki," Kakashi said numbly. Obito shook his head.

"No, I trained. I trained and I trained for years learning every technique I could, until Akatsuki found me. I knew an opportunity when I saw one and joined the organization, first as a humble grunt, then as a full member when Sasori died," Obito clarified.

"But Obito, we had no idea… I've been mourning all this time… Rin went nuts without you and quit being a kunoichi! If you had come back-"

"If I had come back 'what'?" Obito cut in. "Pointless. There was nothing left for me there."

"Why did you do this, Obito? It's your home too, or at least it was!" Kakashi demanded angrily.

"Ah yes, the 'villain's exposition', as they say," Obito said mockingly. "Well, Pain had his reasons, I had mine. Pain simply wanted to control the ninja world through war and the power of the bijuu, but I had a better idea…" Obito said, and Kakashi saw that his eye began to spin.

"Pain wanted a world of war. Well, who fights wars? Shinobi and Kunoichi, of course!" Obito explained. "So, if one really and truly wants to stop war…" he trailed off, as if to invite Kakashi to come to the conclusion on his own.

"You'll simply kill all the ninja, using the power of the bijuu and Pain's clones to keep the peace as the only ones capable to fighting," Naruto said. Kakashi spun around, eyes widening as he saw who had arrived.

"Naruto!" Kakashi said in surprise. "Itachi, what are you…" he began, but he stopped.

"You…" Itachi said, staring directly at Obito. "You're alive?"

Obito grinned. "Surprised, Itachi?"

Itachi shook his head. "Not really; they told us you were KIA, but that your body was never found. Bullshit, I thought. The man praised as the next Hokage takes a team out which included the son of the White Fang of Konoha, and they come back reporting a casualty but have no body to show for it? Ha!" Itachi replied. Obito nodded.

"Good for you," he said sarcastically. Then he turned to Naruto, who glared. Obito studied him for a second, then gave Haku, Kira, and Gaara the same treatment before returning to Naruto.

"So you're the pathetic bastard who got the Kyuubi sealed within him by the Yondaime," Obito said maliciously.

Naruto was about to reply when he heard a voice that he had thought was gone forever.

_**By all that is evil…**_ Kyuubi thought to Naruto. _**And here I thought I was rid of that man…**_

_What are you talking about?_ Naruto thought back excitedly. _And what the hell? I thought you were gone!_

_**So did I, but it may have something to do with this guy…**_ Kyuubi replied. _**His chakra is almost identical to that Uchiha Madara who summoned me all those years ago...**_

Naruto paled. _But this is Kakashi-sensei's old teammate; I recognize him from a photo Kakashi-sensei showed me._

_**Yeah, but I know chakra, gaki, and it's almost the exact same chakra, **_Kyuubi shot back. Naruto thought how this could be possible, reaching the inevitable conclusion.

"You're a direct descendent of Uchiha Madara," Naruto and Itachi said simultaneously, looking at the other as they realized they were repeating the other in classically cliched moment.

Obito's eyes widened. "Ah, so there are some who know the truth!" he said incredulously. "Though I doubt you came to that conclusion on your own," he said, indicating Naruto. "I have a feeling my grandfather and your furry little friend go back aways."

Naruto's eyes narrowed. "So it was this Uchiha Madara person who summoned the Kyuubi to our world?" he said calmly.

"Yes," Obito replied. Then he grinned.

"Come now, it's not that hard to put the pieces together; I still haven't told you what I had planned for Akatsuki!" Obito howled as he watched the hapless jinchuuriki puzzle it out

"You're the direct descendent of Uchiha Madara…" Naruto muttered. Unconsciously, he brought his left hand to his stomach. "What do you want with the Kyuubi?" Naruto said suddenly.

"Aha!" Obito cried. "The boy has found it! Quite a shinobi there, Kakashi!"

"Naruto, what the hell is going on?" Kira asked abruptly. Naruto turned to address Kira, Haku, and Gaara, all of whom were feeling extremely put out in the whole affair.

"This guy's ancestor summoned the Kyuubi to this world for Kami-sama knows why," Naruto began.

"Typcial maniac wants to destroy the world, if you ask me," Haku whispered to Kira on the side. She successfully supressed a giggle but could not hold back the blush which mysteriosly formed on her cheeks. Haku, for once, chose not to comment.

"And now I want him back!" Obito said suddenly. He replaced his mask, then disappeared.

He reappeared just as suddenly in front of Naruto, who had never seen anyone move so quickly. Without warning, he was staring into Obito's Sharingan eye, then all he could see was the cage where the Kyuubi used to be sealed. The cage doors were gone and the Kyuubi was nowhere to be found however, since Naruto had made a pact of sorts with the Kyuubi years ago.

"Where… where is the Kyuubi?" Obito asked Naruto. Naruto turned, seemingly unsurprised that Obito had joined him in his mindscape.

"He and I are one, so to speak. I fully absorbed him, as was the intent of the pact with the Shinigami my Father, Uzumaki Arashi, made. Not much gonna stand in the way of anything the Shinigami sets in motion, y'know?" Naruto said looking to where the Kyuubi used to be.

Obito turned to him, and Naruto almost recoiled. _By all that _is_, what the… his chakra is so… so _evil! He thought.

_**Just like Uchiha Madara's… kid, I gotta tell ya, I don't think you're gonna like what happens next,**_ Kyuubi interjected.

"Fine," Obito said. "It was only a mass of chakra to be extracted from you anyway, which I can achieve just as easily from your body in its last breath. But for now!" he said, and formed a seal. Naruto could only watch as Obito's Sharingan began to spin around, then for a brief moment formed a five-pointed star.

Naruto felt a tug at the very core of his soul which was extremely painfu. It was followed by a feeling as if someone was pulling him up by his collar.

The real world came back so quickly Naruto had to gasp for breath.

"Naruto!" Sasuke yelled as the blonde stumbled. Naruto looked up to see Sasuke's Sharingan spinning just as quickly as Obito's had been.

"Sasuke?" Naruto said, straightening. "Thanks for the save, but what are you doing here?"

Sasuke grinned. "I was following ni-san over there. He'll never admit it, but my Sharingan is stronger than his," Sasuke said, his grin becoming a smirk, "So I figured I'd lend a hand."

"I can still beat you," Itachi warned, the corners of his mouth twitching. Sasuke shrugged.

"But I guess you're all glad I came," he said, taking in the crowd and returning his attention to his best friend. "Like I'd let you fight this one without me," he added.

Naruto took a step towards Obito, who had jumped back to the branch he had stopped on before. "Looks like your little trick failed," he asserted, his confidence restored by the reliable Sasuke.

Obito smiled. "As powerful and versatile as the Shirugan is, it cannot compare to the specialties of the Sharingan! As my grandfather did before me, so now I have done: the powers of the Kyuubi are now sealed away! And since you have absorbed him, it's as if your very soul is sealed away! You are helpless!" Obito yelled triumphantly.

Naruto's silver and blue eyes widened. He turned to his friends behind him, ready to remind Obito of just who he his friends were, when he stilled and his jaw dropped.

His friends were out cold. Gaara lay slumped against a tree, and Haku had apparently caught Kira before passing out himself, seeing as how Haku had fallen on his side, Kira wrapped protectively in his arms.

"What happened to them?" Naruto yelled. Obito shrugged.

"I would guess the splash from the technique caught them and carried them with it, and their bijuu simply couldn't stand the repression!" Obito said cheerfully as he formed a seal.

"Shimate!" Itachi yelled. Naruto recognized it too.

"Itachi, isn't that the seal you used to-" was all Naruto got out before the world shifted around them once again, and Naruto, Sasuke, Itachi, and Kakashi suddenly found themselves at the Valley of the End. Their positions were just so that the Sharingan wielders and Naruto found themselves standing on the head of the statue of the Shodaime, while Obito capped the carving of Uchiha Madara. He surveyed the Valley, then turned to his opponents.

"Someone really went nuts around here," he remarked, gazing at the eroded craters and gaps where chunks of stone were blown away from the respective statues. Sasuke chuckled, thinking how true that statement was.

"You don't know the half of it," he said aloud, cracking his knuckles.

"Enough of this; it's time to correct some past mistakes," Kakashi said abruptly. Then he launched himself across the gap between the statues, and Naruto couldn't help but see the similarity between the two of them and what they fought for at the Valley of the End.

"Nice place for a final battle," Naruto said offhandedly to Sasuke as Kakashi and Obito began trading taijutsu combos. Naruto noticed that Kakashi had shifted his hitai to cover his normal eye so that only his Sharingan was showing.

Suddenly, Kakashi sailed over the edge of the statue and plowed into the ground. Itachi, Sasuke, and Naruto stared as one of the most powerful shinobi they knew had his ass handed to him to quickly.

"I know all your moves, Kakashi! And you never understood that a fight needs to be as quick as possible!" Obito shouted down to Kakashi as he tried to do something about the ground that was rushing up at him.

"Sasuke-otouto…" Itachi said.

"Yeah, ni-san? Sasuke replied as he readied himself.

"We've got some... family matters to attend to," Itachi said mock-formally, and as one the Uchiha brothers launched themselves at Obito, who settled into a stance, black cloak whipping about in the wine.

They came at him together, but Obito caught their fists, where they struggled at impasse for awhile before Itachi jumped back and threw some kunai at Obito's head. Ignoring the kunai, Obito flipped his grip on Sasuke's fist to his forarm and flung him in the direction of the projectiles…

And right into Itachi's intention. Sasuke caught the missiles and added the force of his midair spin to their speed as he flipped around and launched them again for Obito's head. They impacted his skull, and one poof of smoke later revealed a rock with three kunai embedded up to the circle in the handle.

Naruto watched as Obito reappeared on the ground next to the river and sprinted to the side in order to dodge the water-dragon from Kakashi's suiton jutsu. Sasuke and Itachi jumped off the statue of Uchiha Madara and formed seals as one, releasing simultaneous goukakyuo jutsus and launching two great balls of flame towards Obito, who didn't hesitate as he quickly escaped the blast area, parrying Kakashi's blows as he did so.

The Uchiha brothers hit the ground and Obito found himself pressed by three attackers at once, though neither Kakashi nor Sasuke nor Itachi could land a hit on the agile Obito.

_I want to fight,_ Naruto said as he tried to gather his chakra. However, even his normal chakra seemed bounded by the effects of Obito's attack. _Kuso… I have to break through this! What did he do? What could he have possibly done? I want to ask Itachi or Sasuke, but if I get too close without being able to dodge, I won't last long enough… dammit Kyuubi, speak to me!_

But there was no answer.

Meanwhile, Obito had managed to summon some water clones in the heat of the fistfight to even the odds somewhat. While not too dangerous to any of the Konoha shinobi, neither could they be left alone. They too ducked and weaved in the Uchiha style of taijutsu, and Sasuke, Itachi, and Kakashi were hard-pressed to keep up with them and Obito.

Suddenly, Itachi whipped through some seals and shouted, **"Katon: Housenka no jutsu!"** and spat forth several small fireballs.

Obito wasted no time and saw through the technique with ease. Forming seals and shouting , **"Futon: Kamaitachi!"**, Obito whipped his hands forward and launched several sickle-shaped blasts of wind, then deflected the shuriken hidden in the technique with a kunai. He then charged Sasuke, who was fighting a water clone. Sensing the impending doom, he ducked at the last minute. Obito pulled up short to avoid impaling his own clone, but it exploded into harmless water anyways as Sasuke brought his sword Kusanagi through its legs. Completing the spin, he pivoted on one foot in a sweep, which Obito seemed to ripple over with ease.

As he came down, Sasuke allowed himself a small grin as his sword pushed through Obito's leg as it came down.

Which promptly burst into water, dispelling the clone. Kakashi, who saw that Sasuke was occupying Obito, took the time to dispel the mizu bunshins that his old friend had summoned. When the last one he was fighting seemed to waver in midair, he passed it off as an optical illusion. What he didn't see with his Sharingan was that Obito had used the kawarimi jutsu simultaneously with his clone to switch places. Kakashi realized this when his fist connected with the shoulder of the "clone". It didn't dispel, and Obito used the moment of shock to plunge two pairs of kunai into Kakashi's arms.

Itachi cursed as he kicked Obito in the side of the head, too late to stop the immobilization of Kakashi's arms. With a hiss of pain Kakashi leapt backwards to take Itachi's place in fighting the remaining two mizu bunshins. Sasuke slashed one through with his katana, taking advantage of Obito's momentary inability to directly control his clones; instead of dodging the slash, it blocked with an arm and was dispelled. Kakashi also took one by surprise. By propelling himself backwards and then pivoting on one foot, the clone was able to dodge the kick he sent but not a windmilling arm which caught it in the side of the head with enough power to turn the clone to water.

Itachi fought better than he ever had before, in his own opinion. Mixing taijutsu with his rapid formation of seal sequences, he was able to throw in a few ninjutsu techniques as well. But without his genjutsu, the advantage was held by Obito, who seemed to have trained in nothing but taijutsu and ninjutsu. His taijutsu was lightning fast and he hit extremely hard, and his ability to predict and counter every ninjutsu Itachi knew was unsettling. Obito's Sharingan didn't make things any worse either.

Out came Itachi's right fist, then the left, then a front snap kick. Obito blocked all with ease until the kick, which he chose to make his move. With unnatural speed, his body suddenly flared with dark crimson chakra, and he sidestepped Itachi's kick and caught it. Moving too quickly for Itachi to react, Obito locked the leg and pushed downward. Itachi found himself slammed into the ground, almost in the style of wrestling. Then he stopped thinking about how the move had removed all air from his body and thought about how to avoid the cone of fire which was now erupting from inside of Obito's mouth.

Suddenly, Obito halted the attack and jumped to the side; Itachi also moved as a hail of kunai fell from the sky. Obito looked in the direction they came from and saw Naruto spinning and twirling, and from his body came small black projectiles.

Obito grinned; the Kyuubi-child's resourcefulness was not to be contested as he dodged and weaved through the hail of kunai. Sasuke took advantage of the opportunity to motion to Kakashi, who nodded and helped Sasuke assist Itachi in getting away from Obito.

"He's too good," Itachi huffed as they staggered away, making use of the distraction Naruto was providing. "I don't know how much longer I can do this," he added, noting that Kakashi and Sasuke were also breathing heavily on the banks of the river in the Valley. "Now that he's unleashing the bijuu he has – the only explanation for that fire without any seals or the Shirugan – I don't know if we can still beat him."

Kakashi nodded. "We've got to end this now," he declared, straightening. "Sasuke-kun, Itachi-san, follow my lead." He yanked the kunai out of his arms and straightened them despite the pain. "I probably only have one shot at this anyways." Gathering his chakra, he formed and molded it into the chidori, and Sasuke followed suit. Itachi watched them both for a moment, and then performed the technique perfectly.

"Nice," Kakashi commented. Itachi grinned humorlessly, and they took off for Obito as the kunai's ceased to fall. As they ran, Sasuke couldn't help but notice a familiar seal wrapping on all the handles of the kunai.

Naruto watched as the trio attacked Obito simultaneously with the chidori technique.

"Dammit!" he cursed loudly. "I want to fight! Dammit Kyuubi, where the hell is my chakra!"

Then Naruto remembered one of Jiraiya's lessons from those years he spent wandering the ninja world with the perverted hermit…

* * *

"_Naruto, there's something I want to teach you," Jiraiya began. They were seated on a boat which was drifting lazily down a canal in the middle of a densely populated area._

"_Yeah?" Naruto said rudely. "And what's that, o great and powerful Ero-Sennin?"_

_Jiraiya, despite the insult, just laughed. "It's a technique that will help you against genjutsu, seeing as how you have no talent in that area whatsoever."_

"_Awesome!" Naruto yelled excitedly._

_Jiraiya had proceeded to explain how one could cut off the flow of chakra to his central nervous system, thus releasing any hold an illusion would have on him._

"_That's really cool," Naruto said._

"_There's more," Jiraiya added, capturing Naruto's attention once again. He sat attentively as Jiraiya collected his thoughts on how to present this without giving anything away that Naruto didn't need to hear just yet._

"_Remember how Neji sealed your chakra away in the Chuunin Exam and you powered through it with the Kyuubi's chakra?" Jiraiya said suddenly, surprised by his own ingenuity._

"_Yeah; that sucked. It was as if my entire being was locked away, and Neji had swallowed the key," Naruto recalled, shuddering._

"_Well, what do you think you can do if someone manages to, say, seal away ALL of your chakra, including the Kyuubi's?" Jiraiya asked seriously._

_Naruto thought about what he had just been taught. "I dunno… I suppose I could try that genjutsu thingy? But how would that help it there's no chakra to cut off?"_

_Jiraiya smiled. "Don't be so sure; because of your tenant, your body is a little different than others. If you try to "break a genjutsu" when your chakra is sealed and focus really hard on that point of separation, my theory is that your mind will summon that cage place you keep telling me about. Maybe something can happen there that will help you there…" he added. Then he chuckled. "Or this could be a load of bullshit; either way, it'll be worth it for you to try it if you're ever screwed like that!" Jiraiya said as he howled with laughter..._

* * *

"Jiraiya-sensei," Naruto said, wiping away a tear. "It's as if you knew the whole time…" Naruto said softly as he focused on breaking the flow of chakra to his brain where no chakra existed.

* * *

And suddenly, he was standing before the cage of the Kyuubi, and this time it was inhabited by a large orange-red nine-tailed fox. _**"Gaki,"**_ the fox said by way of greeting. 

Naruto only stared. "What's happening?" was all he could say, noticing the red chakra that was pressing against the gate.

The Kyuubi chuckled. "_**I'm gonna do what I did all those years ago, so help me Kami-sama. I'm gonna give you all my chakra, reversing what that bastard of an Uchiha did to me. He thinks he's stopped me, but no one can cage the lord of the demons," **_he huffed, pointedly ignoring the fact that the Yondaime had done just that. _**"But this time, it'll really be good-bye. We will never speak again; not that I care**_," the Kyuubi huffed, looking off to the side.

Naruto knew better, and smiled. "I will always remember you, you big stupid furball, even though you did give me hell every now and then."

The Kyuubi snorted. _**"I am the lord of all the demons; that's my job, Uzumaki Naruto. Farewell, and I'll see you whenever you happen to cross over to the other side."**_

Then with a roar, the Kyuui slammed against the cage's bars. As soon as he made contact with the bars, he dissipated entirely into the red bubbly chakra which rushed through the cage and swarmed into Naruto.

* * *

Once again, he was thrust into the real world with a gasp as all his chakra, which rivaled the Kyuubi's, plus the Kyuubi's demonic nature, rushed back into him as if from a floodgate. He felt powerful, like the first time he had called upon the Kyuubi's chakra with his own will in the Chuunin Exam Final against Neji. 

He closed his fists experimentally, and began by assessing the situation. Unfortunately, he had missed what happened, but he could guess by the fact that, since Sasuke was standing on the water with a wound on his shoulder, Kakashi was kneeling far away and panting, and Itachi was standing erect but clutching his side, Obito had repelled the attacks and had actually managed to lands blows on each of the other Sharingan wielders. However, he had failed to notice one thing: all of the kunai Naruto had thrown were specially prepared: they were all perfectly normal except Naruto had used his Shirugan to permanently engrave the seal of the Hiraishin no jutsu on the handles of each, almost unnoticeable, especially in the head of combat. He grinned and formed a one-handed ram seal.

"You see, I am the possessor of the eight-tailed dragon," Obito explained, indicating the dark red chakra that enveloped his person. "You have no chance against me," he explained to Kakashi and Itachi as he stalked towards them.

"Don't let your guard down!" Sasuke warned as he leapt for Obito, sword gleaming against the water.

Just before Sasuke would have impaled him, Obito spun and dodged the blade by a hair's breadth. It sliced through his cloak, but in return Sasuke was stabbed viciously to the hilt of the kunai in his right shoulder, rendering him useless as his momentum carried him past Obito and almost to the edge of the forest that bordered the Valley of the End. He tumbled end over end until coming to a halt, grimacing with pain.

"Tut, tut, tut…" Obito said with mock disappointment. "Is this all Konohagakure can offer these days? Two Sharingan wielders already out of the fight, unable to use any jutsu, and all I have left to face are a fallen Uchiha and a kid who has no chakra left. A pity," he remarked as he continued to walk towards Itachi, who for the first time in his life since the Uchiha massacre was at a lost for what to do as Obito walked slowly towards him. Itachi noticed for no reason at all that his next step took him directly one meter away from one of the kunai that Naruto had flung from that impressive distance.

Then Obito could only watch as Naruto appeared before him in a flash of light and punched him right in the nose, sending him cartwheeling backwards to tumble and roll on the ground for a few meters before he righted himself on his feet and skidded to a halt.

"Amazing…" he whispered as he tapped his nose, pleased that it wasn't even bleeding thanks to the chakra of the eight-tailed ryu. "The Hiraishin no jutsu; I couldn't even see a glimpse of it, as if I was still viewing it with my normal eyes…"

Naruto let out a slow breath as orange chakra began to wrap itself in a sort of armor around his body. He straightened from his lunge punch and slowly drew Makai from its sheath and leveled it at Obito.

"You have harmed my friends and threatened my village with destruction. Oh, and you want me dead to you can control the Kyuubi. Well, I've got news: I'm not sealed anymore because the Kyuubi's gone. He sacrificed his life in this world to transfer all his chakra to me; you have no purpose anymore," Naruto declared, swinging Makai to his side.

Obito stared, scanning Naruto through his mask's only eyehole. _He's right… he's right! May Kami-sama burn for eternity, but he's right! NO!_

"Well, then as a token prize I will kill you and these pathetic excuses for Uchiha, then I will wipe out the rest of your village! And then, this world will burn by the flames from my hand" Obito yelled suddenly, and Naruto got the feeling that Obito no longer had anything to lose, making him that more dangerous. However…

Sasuke smirked as he watched Naruto twitch involuntarily. "One thing you should never do…"

"Is threaten Konohagakure in front of Naruto," Kakashi finished for him. Itachi simply looked on with glee, noticing the rage spilling of Naruto in waves.

Naruto's eyes widened and he shook his head slightly. "Don't threaten my village, scum."

Obito laughed manically. "Stop me if you can then, Naruto-kun," he retorted maniacally, prepared for anything the boy could throw at him.

But there was one technique Obito could never copy or predict with his Sharingan. Whenever it was used, he either hadn't activated hi doujutsu or his view was obstructed – by, say a pile of rubble. And once wasn't enough to really analyze a jutsu which summoned the power of a flying thunder god. Naruto began to punch towards Obito, and then flashed away to appear right in front of him. Caught off-guard once again, Obito was propelled backwards by the attack, though before he even landed Naruto was moving again. Flashing a bit closer, Naruto leapt off the ground under Obito in a sword charge. Obito tried to prepare a defense, and would have been successful if Naruto had continued his path. Yet again he flashed and Obito slammed a chakra-reinforced foot down on the ground.

He launched his center of gravity upward. Combined with the momentum from Naruto's fist, Obito's foot had turned his fall into a back-flip which carried his head just over the tip of Naruto's finely made and glowing katana. As he completed the flip he whipped out two kunai and as he landed back on his feet he dug into the ground to keep from crashing into the forest behind him.

Naruto recovered from his charge and disappeared again without warning.

But this time, something seemed different to Obito.

_I still can't see him move,_ he realized, _but I can still react to his normal movement when the jutsu stops!_ He quickly scanned the ground, now recognizing the familiar kunai his old sensei had used to win the Iwa-Konoha war.

Naruto reappeared behind Obito and slightly to his left, a perfect strike point. Obito dodged the blade as it came down, using the kunai as a double-guard. Not wasting half a second, Naruto growled and flashed again, but this time Obito was more than ready. When Naruto reappeared to the right of Obito he was greeted by a kunai to the face. Reacting faster than he ever had while using his demonic chakra nature, Naruto flashed a seal with the Shirugan and kawarimi-ed away from Obito, replacing himself with a rock. Obito's kunai blasted through it, and he turned to face Naruto, who stood at the ready, albeit slightly more aggravated.

He flashed, and Obito correctly predicted where he would strike, blocking Makai as it came down on his right shoulder and sliding his kunai along the blade to strike at Naruto. Naruto twisted the katana and disengaged; Obito immediately began to focus on Naruto's next activation of the jutsu.

And almost got his arm cut off. Naruto, instead of predictably activating the Hiraishin no jutsu again, had simply used his incredible speed and training with Tenten to attack again, slicing upwards at Obito's arm. Obito dodged but didn't escape unscathed and Makai cut a gash in his shoulder.

The two ceased movement for a moment, observing the other. Obito grinned.

"You're about to discover one of the powers of the eight-tailed dragon," Obito said as he watched his wound. "Regeneration."

Naruto laughed. "Kyuubi's is faster, and besides: this blade has a special vendetta towards the powers of a bijuu, which is why your shoulder isn't healing right now."

Obito simply smirked, and Naruto watched in horror as the Uchiha's wound knitted together again, albeit slower than Obito was used to. He took advantage of Naruto's momentary stupefication and charged forward, slamming a kick to the blonde's chin, who could only turn the fall into a flip and skidded backwards.

"Idiot boy, if that sword were so powerful your father would've survived," Obito said snidely, gesturing at the blade. "My guess is that you've only ever used it on lesser-tailed bijuu than my own; it doesn't work so well on the likes of me."

Naruto stared at the blade, then re-sheathed it and tossed it in the air, where he stared at it for a minute, tossing a scroll up to join it. Shooting a seal at the two, he used his Shirugan to seal the sword in the scroll and caught it as it descended, tucking it away into his weapons pouch.

"Then we'll have to see just what more tails means," Naruto replied softly, though Obito could hear every word. Not letting Naruto get in the first move, he charged his body with the chakra of the eight-tailed dragon, feeling the fire and the power coursing through his veins. The boy, and then the world, wouldn't know what hit him.

Naruto stared for a moment, analyzing the changes in Obito's chakra system with the Shirugan, and then formed a seal.

"KAI!" he shouted, and a shockwave pulsated out from him. His fangs elongated and his nails became slightly longer, sharper, and Naruto was sure: stronger. He also felt his eyes shift uncomfortably, and he glanced at the massive river to his left and noticed that his Shirugan was now dark red. Without even checking he knew his whisker marks were elongated as well.

_Must be the effect of absorbing the Kyuubi completely,_ he thought as he flexed his claws experimentally. Then he summoned the rest of the change.

Obito stared as the nine tails of orange chakra exploded out of Naruto and hovered menacingly about his person.

"Now, it's my turn." Obito whipped through a seal sequence and ended on tiger.

"**Katon: Kuchiyose no jutsu!"** he yelled in a voice not unlike a roar, and he flung his hands out away from his body, palms facing outward.

_Oh shit,_ Naruto thought. _He can summon the very element of fire!?_

Obito's jutsu summoned forth flames from the very air, but they were different from the usual Katon jutsu. These flames were hotter, brighter, and stronger than any Naruto had ever seen, like a dragon's should be. The flames danced around Obito in a circle, and then some formed into seven clones while the rest wrapped around his forearms and lower legs. The clones didn't even assume Obito's shape and simply appeared as if humans had spontaneously combusted. As one they turned to Naruto, who crouched.

The leapt at him like lightning, swinging around to his right in an effort to flank him. it worked, and Naruto was forced to fight while water-walking, stabbing and cutting at the clones with his tails. But as fast as he was, the clones were faster.

_Maybe he can't come onto the water because of the flames – no, that's stupid,_ he thought angrily as he fended off a jet of flame from one of the creatures by batting at it with a tail of chakra, noticing that the hobunshins were unaffected by the water and could seemingly walk on it at will. Even with the Shirugan, his demonic chakra, and the speed and reflexes he worked for years to attain, he was hard-pressed to keep up with the clones.

Then Obito stepped into the game, running at Naruto and chopping at him with his fire-encased arms. Every time he kicked or slashed at Naruto the flames on his arm would extend and increase the range of the attack. Naruto was forced to literally divide up his tails amongst the seven clones, using two to defend against Obito while he used his hands and feet to spin and flip about on the surface of the water, grateful for the walking-on-water-with-hands training. But he could tell that the fight was progressing in Obito's favor.

_I can't keep this up,_ Naruto cursed as he failed to get a tail in front of him and simply ducked under Obito's fist, flames singing his hair and igniting his ponytail. He jumped and rotated in midair, flinging his tails in a circle and pushing the clones back, also taking the opportunity to dip his hair in the water and put the flames out. Obito and his bunshins were only held back for a second before rushing back in.

_I can't use a seal from my Shirugan,_ he decided as he managed to land a hit on a clone. It wasn't visibly affected, but its movement began to slow and Naruto was able to strike a tail through its head and dispel it. However, instead of the flames disappearing they were distributed amongst the other clones and Obito, increasing their speed and likely their power as well, though Naruto wasn't inclined to find out the hard way.

_Writing a seal with the Shirugan would use up too much chakra, and… I can't concentrate!_ He thought grumpily as he was forced out of his musings to defend against a simultaneous attack from the remaining clones and Obito.

_I'm slowing down,_ he realized as he almost missed a parry with his tails, Obito's right almost impacting his face and likely ending his life despite the amount of demonic chakra. He rolled around the fist of fire, bringing his tails in together and thrusting out with all nine at Obito, ignoring the bunshins momentarily. Obito was forced to bring both flame-arms in to block and was flung backwards towards the waterfall, buying Naruto some time.

_I need help!_ He thought.

But it was too late, and Naruto was hit in the back with a fist powered by the demonic flames of the crazed Uchiha. He screamed as the pain hit, fiercer than anything he had ever felt before. He flew forwards, slamming into the side of the Shodaime-side cliff and brought down a small avalanche. Obito smiled as he led the final charge towards the dazed Hokage-to-be. Itachi looked up from his work at staunching the blood flow from the now-unconscious Kakashi and Sasuke and paled. _This is the end,_ he thought as Obito brought a fist back.

Then Obito was swept away by a massive wave which enveloped him and left him suspended in midair. The sand which held him began to squeeze, so he flared his fire-natured chakra, scorching the sand to glass and dropped to the waters surface. He looked up in the direction of the attack and scowled, eyes widening and reflecting the madness within.

On the head of the Shodaime stood a red-haired girl, a black haired boy, and a brown-haired boy whose hand was outstretched and from whom the sand came.

"Naruto-kun!" Kira shouted down. "Hang in there!" she added as she jumped down the cliff-face to assist him.

Haku jumped off the head and dived, forming his chakra into its ice-nature. "Yeah, I won't wanna stay in Konoha for long if you can't become Hokage 'cause your dead!" he shouted as he dove for Obito, wind whipping about him. Obito jumped back as Haku hit; his clones followed suit but one was caught in the impact and annihilated, the flamed circling back to the rest.

"I do not think that Suna would be pleased to learn of the Rokudaime-to-be's death," Gaara said monotonously as he floated down to Naruto, who stared at his dumbly. "I refuse to return home with news of your death; Temari and Kankurou would be most displease," he added, the corners of his mouth twitching as he thrust his hands forward, launching the special sand from his gourd towards Obito.

Naruto stared at them as they assaulted Obito and his clones. "You guys…" he said, choking on the words.

"'Thank you' will suffice," Kira said happily as she landed on the water next to Naruto. "I'm sure Hinata-chan wouldn't want you to forget your manners!" she called back, already racing to engage in battle, Haku following swiftly behind.

Naruto shook his head as he too ran forward and began to strike and block the creatures of fire. _My friends…_

"I will never forget this," Naruto vowed softly as he pierced a clone with five tails while defending with the others.

"Aw, that's sweet," Haku said to Kira jokingly as he formed a seal in one hand and raised his other, bringing forth spikes of ice from the river. The remaining clones, so close to the icy chill of the jinchuuriki, could not defend and were destroyed.

Only Obito remained, though his power was no longer split amongst the clones. He didn't say anything, just glared murderously at Naruto and his companions. Kira frowned and prepared her chakra for a jutsu, Gaara raised his sand, and Naruto arched his tails.

Haku smiled sadly. "Follow my lead!" he said straightening. Then he launched himself towards Obito, brining back a shard of ice as if to plunge it into Obito's mask. Naruto and Kira charged the Uchiha, and Gaara sent forth his sand, ready to follow up on Haku's attack.

The attack never landed, and the flames that erupted from Obito's mouth caught him straight-on, enveloping his body with a sickening roar as it descended onto Obito. The flaming boy wrapped his arms around Obito and held tight, despite the pain that literally scorched through his skin.

"HAKU!" Naruto roared, but his voice emerged from the flames:

"DO IT NOW!"

Hating himself, hating the world, and hating Obito, Naruto plunged his tails like daggers into Obito's body. Numbly he realized that Kira's extended fingers had hit his solar plexus and Gaara's sand had crushed his head. The body wracked itself in midair, suspended by the three blows, then fell limp. Kira retreated from the body, shuddering slightly. Gaara retracted his sand and gathered Haku's charred form from the water with his sand, struggling because of the dampness, and wrapped it in a cocoon of sand.

Itachi approached the body from across the water. Naruto stared at it, unable to see Itachi, and was surprised when black flames appeared from nowhere and ignited the corpse, which melted and then evaporated into nothing. Satisfied, Itachi slumped, and Naruto turned and caught him, holding him up.

"That was the last of my chakra for the day," Itachi said weakly. Naruto nodded weakly, turning to follow Kira and Gaara on their way back to the riverside where Sasuke and Kakashi were coming to.

As he reached the bank, he heard someone faintly calling his name and turned back to the statue of the Shodaime, where stood Tsunade, Hinata, their friends and a small army of Konoha chuunin. Turning his gaze to the Valley of the End itself, he surveyed the carnage they had wrought and felt his heart collapse under the emotional onslaught which mirrored the new craters and scorch marks which now accompanied the previous ones along the cliffs of the river.

He stumbled over to where Sasuke and Kakashi and the others had congregated around Haku's blackened form, and before he knew it Tsunade had knelt down beside Haku and was running green glowing hands along his body while Kira and Gaara looked on, Kira openly weeping and inching towards their friend's form, and Gaara emotionless save for his eyes, in which Naruto could see the old and terrible pain of loneliness reflecting outwards.

He felt Hinata's arms encircle his waist from behind, and he settled into her, allowing her to support him.

His tears fell to the earth in earnest alongside the rain which had begun to fall.

* * *

And so the Battle of Konoha ends, with much clashing, ambiguous ending, and a reference to chapter one (hint hint the woosh woosh part)! 

Hope you enjoyed it, last chapter is on the way! Yes, there will be a sequel, and I have a very definite storyline in mind, so it should pop up soon after the completion of the next chapter! Oh, and be prepared for some very light-hearted stuff in the next one despite the nasty ending (and nasty beginning of the next chap) of this chapter.

Ja ne!


	34. True Strength

Holy crap, an update already?! I mean, it's only been like a week! But yes, it's true: another chapter.

And also the last one.: the great saga (heheh… yeah, right) comes to a crashing… new beginning? Jeez, it's not even as long as the last chappy! But seeing as I've got the first chapter of the next part ready to be posted, this isn't really the end, nor is it a new beginning.

But it is A beginning, and it is A ending (anyone who recognizes where I got that from, join me in remembering Robert Jordan, whose death was only recently made known to me. He was one of the greatest science-fiction/fantasy writers ever in the epic style of J.R.R. Tolkien, and he will be sorely missed).

But in any case, here's the last chapter of True Strength, and I hope it meets whatever expectations you may have had. Some surprises, a random and brief crossover, some unfortunate truths that I just couldn't think up reasonable turnarounds for, and some happy endings despite the pain. I thank you who are reading this now, beacuse you've given me your precious time to read this story and I hope that it was worth it. 115200+ words, 34 chapters, and many reviews from people I owe a lot to. I love to write, but y'all who stuck with me and rode this out with me deserve special thanks for helping me finish this: hinata-naruto-neji-HNN, SilverWarrior, Alucard180 (I LOVE Hellsing), Major Hinata Fan, Yami Kyuubi, DanteHyuuga, TaintedLegacy, VFSNAKE, Dragon Man 180, Baka Hanyou Raevyn, Twilight Stalker, nocontact, Kage Husha, delphinous, RasenganFin, Skull134D3R, Alucius... everyone else who ever gave a really awesome review: you know who you are, and I thank you all.

Special thanks to Clover715 for getting me to actually start writing this in the first place, and another very _very_ special thanks to you-know-who: This chap's for you!

Thanks for reading.

* * *

Chapter 34 – True Strength 

Haku's body was carried back to the village of Konohagakure by Gaara's sand, surrounded by Naruto, Kira, Uchiha Sasuke, and Haruno Sakura, who had arrived on the scene soon after Tsunade did and immediately assisted her former master in attempting to preserve the young ex-Mist nin's flicker of life. That flicker of life remained, but Tsunade said it was nothing short of a miracle that he was still alive, let alone breathing. She guessed he had maybe a day before his brain simply shut down unless the bijuu inside of him did something to preserve Haku's mental functions.

All Naruto heard was that his newfound friend might die soon unless something was done to help him.

_Only problem is that only Haku can do anything now,_ Naruto thought sadly as he walked out of the emergency medical tent that had been erected by the genin in their absence accompanied by the members of Team 7 and the Kazekage. Kira had elected to stay with Tsunade and lend what medical techniques and chakra she could to Haku's recovery. Upon hearing that declaration and seeing the look on the young Iwa nin's face, Sakura was strongly reminded of herself back in the days of pining after the now-prodigal Uchiha.

_And what happened to that girl?_ Sakura thought with no small amount of nostalgia as she glanced sideways at the Uchiha. He had taken the news of Haku's critical condition almost as worse as Naruto did, and seemed just as sincere, something which pleased Naruto despite the situation. It seemed the Uchiha was letting down his guard again and letting other people touch him in the way only friends could.

When they reached the middle of the survivors of the attack on Konoha's camp, Gaara turned and stopped the Konoha jounin.

"Naruto, nothing has given me greater pleasure recently in the past few months than to see this village saved from destruction," Gaara confessed. Naruto looked around at the devastation of his home, at the ninja and civilian workers who were rebuilding the city, then turned back to Gaara, one eyebrow raised incredulously.

Gaara returned the look one better, and Naruto looked away.

"_Total_ destruction, then," Gaara allowed. "But despite my desire to stay and assist in the reconstruction, I feel that Sunagakure has been without its leader for too long, and that I must return. Besides, I must bear home the news of the those ninja that will not be returning with me," he added, looking in the direction of his desert home.

Naruto nodded and smiled, knowing that same feeling of yearning to be home. "Then get outta here, ya bum!" he said in mock indignation as he extended his hand to the man who once tried to eradicate his existence and had now saved it from such annihilation.

Gaara took the hand and shook it firmly. "Arigato, Naruto." he bowed, and then turned and walked away.

"Don't stay a stranger!" Naruto called after the retreating gourd. Sakura giggled as they saw Gaara's head dip forward in exasperation.

"So what now?" Sasuke asked as Naruto turned to face his friends.

Naruto grinned. "I have to report to Tsuande-ba-chan now, so… JA!" he yelled and zipped away in a cloud of dust.

"Naruto!" Sakura shouted after him. "Get back here!" she yelled indignantly. "And what's so funny?" she demanded, seeing that Sasuke was actually chuckling.

"I want to say you haven't changed a bit, but you'll just hit me, won't you?" Sasuke said teasingly. Sakura huffed.

"Damn right I will," she affirmed. Sasuke smirked.

"Which would only prove my point, y'know," he added, unable to resist. Sakura's right hand twitched.

SLAP!

Sakura's hand impacted Sasuke's cheek, but did not follow through and remained on his face. It took all of Sasuke's willpower not to blush as the pretty kunoichi took a step closer.

"I heard you were almost killed," she said softly. Sasuke nodded.

"Yeah, me, Kakashi, and ni-san got our butts handed to us," he clarified. Sakura giggled and wiped a tear away.

"You're starting to sound like Naruto," Sakura teased. Sasuke's eyes widened, then shrugged.

"Oh well," he sighed in resignation. "Don't tell him I said this, but he _is_ my best friend. That kind of makes sense," he said sheepishly. Sakura smiled, and then looked to the ground.

"Sasuke… why? Why did you leave?" Sakura said in a whisper, but Sasuke still heard.

Sasuke made a decision then to begin to right the other wrongs he had committed in the past. Sakura almost had a heart attack as a result when she felt Sasuke's strong arms pull her into an embrace. Unable to handle the shock and want all at once, she threw her arms around the Uchiha and sobbed into his shoulder. Part of her was surprised that it wasn't his chest she was crying into and that he was now only a few inches taller than her.

Sasuke held her for a while, then pushed her away, and Sakura was somewhat relieved by the pain in his voice when he said, "Gomen, Sakura…chan. You know that I was under the influence of Orochimaru, but some of the blame for that decision falls on me, and I promise you that I'll try to make up for my mistakes," he said solemnly.

Sakura acquired a playful gaze in her eye as she pulled Sasuke into another embrace. "You know, I fell for Naruto for a while, some months ago."

Sasuke groaned. "That dobe?"

Sakura grinned into his shoulder. "You can't deny: he's really handsome now, and he's _really_ strong…"

Sasuke gave her a slight squeeze, surprising himself at his intimacy. "Well, then it looks like I've got some training to do," he heard himself say.

Itachi watched the couple as he hefted a piece of rubble over to the building from whence it came to be re-attached. He smiled, using the Sharingan to read his brother's lips.

"Smooth moves, otouto… smooth moves," he said proudly.

"What's up, Itachi?" Kakashi said as he walked to stand next to the Uchiha. Itachi simply pointed at his brother. Kakashi grinned.

"'Bout damn time," he said, and helped his new friend with his burden.

* * *

Meanwhile, somewhere deep in a forest, another war of a sorts continued. 

"Dammit, ni-san! Could you, for once, not land on me every single time we try this?" a muffled voice said from underneath another body clad in black outfit and red cloak.

"Well, maybe if you didn't rush into the Gate so quickly every time we opened it to try and get home, you wouldn't be on the bottom!" retorted the blonde as he got up off his younger brother. He fingered his ponytail as he watched his also-blonde companion brush himself off and examine their new surroundings.

"Hey!" the younger brother said suddenly. "I can feel… some sort of energy in me," he said curiously. The older brother cupped his chin in puzzlement, then brought his hands together in a clap, then slammed them into the ground.

A small yellow head with a spig of blonde hair erupted from the ground in a cloud of dust. It glared sullenly up at the older brother.

"Alphonse," the older brother said, an evil grin forming on his face. The younger brother, Alphonse, nodded, grinning as well.

"Alchemy works here, brother," he said happily. The older brother stood up.

"But it feels like I've been drained somehow," he said, experimentally flexing his arms.

"Perhaps the laws of this world allow the energy used in alchemy in a different manner," Alphonse suggested. The older brother nodded.

"In any case, we'll need some supplies for our next attempt. Let's go look for some sort of market," the older brother suggested, and together they headed in the direction of the sun until they found a path, then followed it.

* * *

After abandoning Sakura and Sasuke to their feelings, Naruto had rejoined Kira at Haku's side. 

"Gaara left," Naruto said by way of greeting as he entered the medical tent. Kira nodded, never taking her eyes off Haku's seal covered form. The burns on this body had been healed, but Tsunade and Sakura were unable to determine how his internal organs were affected by the heat of the dragon's fire.

"How is he doing?" Naruto asked as he stood opposite of the red-haired Iwa nin. She shook her head.

"He hasn't shown any signs of life, other than breathing," Kira finally said, looking up at Naruto. However, when she looked up she saw that Naruto too was staring intently at Haku. She watched as a lone tear emerged from the Shirugan he bore and fell down his cheek.

"Naruto-kun," she said softly. He looked up, and Kira smiled.

"Kira-chan… arigato," the blonde said softly. She recoiled puzzled.

"What for?" she asked. Now it was Naruto's turn to recoil.

"Kira-chan, you abandoned your home to help a ninja you had never met before! You went with me, helped me take out a member of Akatsuki, and then saved me from that crazed fire-teme! And now you're looking after Haku!" Naruto said with disbelief.

Kira blushed and looked at Haku. "That's what friends do, Naruto-kun," she said as she brushed some of Haku's hair out of his face.

Naruto smiled, but it soon changed to a grin. He decided to try and cheer her up.

"Y'know, when Obito his us with that doujutsu and you guys fainted, Haku caught you before he fainted," Naruto said nonchalantly, but his words had the desired effect. Kira blushed and removed her hand from Haku's face.

"Really?" she asked faintly. Naruto nodded. Kira looked from Naruto, then to Haku and smiled softly.

"That was sweet of him…" she trailed off as she gazed at Haku.

Then Naruto was suddenly alert as an idea began to form in his head. "Kira-chan, could you go outside and check to see where Tsuande-ba-chan is?" he asked urgently. Kira looked confused, but obeyed his request and checked outside the tent.

"There's no sign of her or her attendant," she confirmed as she walked back over to Haku. Naruto grinned and motioned her over.

"Kira, do you like Haku?" he asked with the subtlety of a nuclear bomb. Kira blushed, but Naruto was satisfied with her nod,

"Do you like him enough to stay in Konoha until a successful alliance with Iwagakure is formed?" Naruto asked, and again Kira looked confused.

_Such an odd question,_ she thought. Then she realized what he was implying and grinned devilishly.

"That would take a couple years, wouldn't it?" she said, egging Naruto on. He nodded excitedly. Kira nodded. "Then yes, I would."

Naruto pumped a fist, "Yatta! Okay, I need to stand as close to Haku's bed as you can," he said.

"Okay, but you've got to start making some sense soon," Kira warned as she complied. Naruto grinned excitedly.

"The Shirugan is a wonderful bloodline, Kira-chan. It's specialty is kanji seals, and one of its abilities is to memorize and store the information for every kanji seal I've ever seen," he explained quickly. Kira nodded, realizing what Naruto had in mind as he closed his eyes and sat on the dirt in the tent. Under his eyelids, Kira could see his eyes fluttering, as if in REM sleep.

What Naruto saw when he closed his eyes was like a visual database of seals and information. If it wasn't for his practice at absorbing memories from his kage bunshins he wouldn't have been able to handle the rate at which he had absorbed and scanned the information, but as it was he had no trouble locating which seal he had in mind.

_Yeah… yeah, this can work!_ He thought excitedly. He snapped open his eyes and leapt to his feet.

"Kira, I'm going to seal you, me, and Haku together, and I'm gonna lend him some of each of our demonic chakra!" he said excitedly. Kira paled.

"Naruto-kun, that sounds like a good idea in theory, but why will that help Haku?" she asked worriedly. Naruto shook his head.

"Aside from corporeal chakra, Kyuubi's other ability was an incredible rate of regeneration!" Naruto said. "Combined with your chakra and that nine-lives thing…"

"Haku should be revived!" Kira finished excitedly.

"Kira how many of those lives do you have left?" Naruto asked. Kira smiled sadly.

"Just two, since that fight with that Akatsuki woman," she confessed. Naruto immediately shook his head.

"Okay, just me then," he said.

"I don't think so!" Kira yelled, causing Naruto to jump back, startled. "I will… I will sacrifice one of those lives for Haku-kun," she said, after a breath.

Naruto stared at the determination in her green eyes. Then he shrugged. "Who am I do deny true love?" he said as he looked at the ceiling of the tent while simultaneously ducking a kunai flung by a blushing Kira. "Oh well, let's do this thing before Tsuande comes back," he said, rolling up his sleeves as he positioned himself exactly opposite of Kira and began to write with the Shirugan, converting his chakra to its demonic form.

* * *

The kunai Kira threw tore through the wall of the tent. On its errant path it passed many surprised shinobi who were forced to dodge. One of them snatched it out of the air, turning to examine where it came from. 

"The medical tent," Tsuande said grimly, motioning for Shizune, who got up from completing the healing of Rock Lee's injuries acquired during the fight with Zetsu and accompanied her master. Lee shrugged and leapt to his feet, intent on joining the reconstruction efforts before his Hokage could stop him.

* * *

Naruto watched through the Shirugan as his chakra and Kira's mixed above Haku's chest. The formed two clouds and refused to mingle. 

"Now for the tricky part," he whispered and placed his right hand over the two conflicting chakras. He remembered the first time he applied the principles of the Rasengan to create a whirlpool to combat the water clones of attacking Rain ninja, and did the same, using the two demon chakras.

They began to swirl together, and now even Kira could see the green and red-orange mix together to form a swirling ball of chakra.

Naruto now had to maintain the ball as he scribed a seal on the chakra itself which would hopefully allow it to enter Haku's system and heal him. However, as soon as he tried to write the kanji, the ball faltered in its swirling.

_Kuso!_ He cursed mentally. _I need a clone, or someone to…_

But his thoughts were cut short when Kira placed her hand over his own and helped him steady the flows of the chakra, sweat beading on her face. Naruto smiled at her, then went back to writing the seal.

Tsunade and Shizune threw back the tent flaps and were immediately blinded by a flash of blue, red, and green light, all of which resulted in a white flash which blinded the occupants of the tent.

"Naruto!" Tsuande yelled. "What the hell were you thinking!?" she shouted as she ran over to Haku's makeshift bed. Elbowing Naruto aside, she placed a green glowing hand over Haku's brow, then his chest, then she pulled away, shock evident on her faux-pretty face.

"I don't believe it… his homeostasis is returning to normal… Naruto, what did you…" she began to ask, but stopped as she saw Naruto smile and point to Haku.

"Oh, my head…" the ice-manipulator groaned. "My chest feels like it's on fire," he added, chuckling painfully at the irony of the statement. "And I have this strange craving for ramen… lots and lots of ramen… and sushi… lots of sushi…"

Naruto looked at Kira, one eyebrow raised questioningly. Kira huffed haughtily and met his stare.

"Better than ramen," she said, tossing her hair. Naruto glared and was about to retort when he felt a tugging on his sleeve. He looked down to see Haku's hand, and then glanced at his eyes.

"It's cool, Naruto-kun… she's entitled to her wrong opinion," he said quietly and perfectly serious.

Naruto's eyes widened as one with Kira's and he patted Haku's hand. "I'd say that since your making smart-ass remarks again that you'll be fine, but I think Kira-chan's gonna kill you," he said.

She surprised them all by flinging herself to her knees and hugging the prone shinobi. "Haku-kun!" she said happily, tears welling up in her eyes. Haku froze, completely inexperienced in matters of intimacy, and patted her arms awkwardly.

Naruto smiled at the two as Tsunade elbowed her way in to perform more medical jutsu on his injured friend and left the tent to the sounds of Kira and Tsunade arguing. The fresh air of the late afternoon hit his face pleasantly, and the soft grass gave way under his feet as he walked over to a small rock that jutted out of the ground near the border of the forest and surveyed the fallen village of Konoha from his vantage point.

He stared at the area where the walls once were, imagining them back in their majesty. Through the walls and past the rubble he could see the old man and his daughter, Ayame, help Iruka work on sorting through the rubble of Ichiraku's ramen, and imagined what the building looked like. He viewed the carnage of his village, his heart aching.

"I promised I wouldn't cry anymore…" he said, reaching up and brushing away a lone tear, remembering the day he made that promise…

* * *

"_Get up," commanded Jiraiya as he stood over a 14-year-old Naruto. They were well into their training mission, and Jiraiya had decided that enough was enough, and today was the day he would stomp out Naruto's childish notion of 'saving' Sasuke when he was so obviously insane and no longer saveable._

"_Kuso," Naruto muttered as he stood to his feet. Jiraiya began the day by asking Naruto what he would do first when he returned to Konoha. When he predictably responded with bringing back Sasuke, Jiraiya had gotten down into his face and snarled, 'So he can destroy it?' before punching Naruto in the chest and sending him through one tree into another. Every time Naruto refused to back down, Jiraiya would attack him. At first Naruto was able to hold out for a bit before getting beat back, but now it was pretty much one-sided._

"_Sasuke can no longer be saved," Jiraiya declared, getting in Naruto's face again. "And you're being one hell of a selfish bastard if he's the only one your concerned with."_

_Naruto glared back. "What the hell does that mean?" he demanded. Jiraiya straightened and turned away._

"_You say you want to be Hokage, well, what about the rest of the village?" Jiraiya asked, the anger suddenly leaving his voice. "What about the rest of your friends?" he asked more gently. "What about all the other precious people you have to protect?" he prodded once more._

_Naruto stopped dead in his tracks, intent on attacking the perverted hermit, now utterly and totally numbed by his sensei's words._

'He's right,' _Naruto thought, lowering his fist. _What about Sakura-chan, Kakashi, Iruka, and all the others,_ he thought, thinking of Kiba, Shino, Hinata, Ino, Shikamaru, Chouji, Lee, and even Neji._

"_You owe it to them to protect your village from those who want to destroy it," Jiraiya said, turning to face his protégée. "At that includes Sasuke."_

_Naruto nodded, tears falling down his face. However, before the first one descended to the ground, he wiped them away and looked through newly determined eyes._

I will never cry in sadness again,_ he promised silently._

* * *

"But I haven't been very good at that," he said, now allowing the tears to fall as he remembered Jiraiya and everything that had happened since then. He recalled the day he came back to Konoha, how he had explained to his friends his new powers, his fight with Hinata, and then Lee. He recalled how Tsunade had revealed to him his heritage, and the scrolls his father, Kazama Arashi left for him, how he activated the Shirugan and discovered the Hiraishin no jutsu. He smiled when he remembered their special jounin exam proctored by Tsunade-ba-chan herself, and their first mission. He remembered meeting Tenten in Busho's weapon shop, and his left hand strayed to Makai which was strapped now to his left hip. He remembered fighting the crazed Hyuuga, and when they discovered that Uchiha Itachi was still fighting for Konoha. He remembered rescuing Gaara, finding Haku, and battling the Akatsuki. 

He brought a hand to his chest. "So much gain… so much loss… so much pain, and sorrow," he said aloud. He brought his hands up and looked at his palms.

"I have so much power, and I fight to protect my precious people and my village," he continued. Then he surveyed the carnage, and out of the corner of his eye he saw where the bodies of the Konoha shinobi and kunoichi who had given their lives in the defense of their home were lined up and accounted for. Included among them were Kiba and Genma.

"But so many of my precious people are dying!" he said, clenching his eyes shut. "What good is the strength I gain from protecting my precious people if they die anyways!" he shouted to the clouds in reference to Haku's words on being truly strong. A few shinobi resting from their battles to turn their heads his way, then look away embarrassed as if intruding on a private scene.

"That's not the only source of true strength, Naruto-kun," a soft voice said firmly from behind him.

"Hinata-chan," Naruto whispered as he saw his girlfriend. Her blue-black hair cascaded down past her shoulders, two locks framing her face much in the same manner as Naruto's strays from his ponytail did. Clad in her blue ninja outfit with fishnet shirt, she had never looked more beautiful to Naruto then she did then. Her pale-lavender eyes locked with Naruto's silvery-blue ones, and he felt the Shirugan deactivate itself in the face of chakra exhaustion after scribing all those seals.

"Do you remember what I told you all those years ago, Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked gently as she approached Naruto and took his hands in hers. "Back by your old training ground, where you became a genin?" she reminded him.

Naruto nodded, a smile tugging his lips upwards. "You told me that you thought I was strong."

His eyes widened, and then softened as they stared into the depths of Hinata's. "You told me that you believed true strength came from the determination to rise again and again no matter how many times you get knocked down."

Hinata nodded. Naruto smiled and rested his forehead on Hinata's. She smiled and pulled him into hug, and he buried his face into her soft hair.

_I will always fight to protect my precious people, and I will rise again to defend my village no matter what happens!_ Naruto thought. _And by this belief I will be truly strong enough to protect them._ He thought contentedly, tilting Hinata's face up and kissing her softly.

When they broke apart Naruto smiled and embraced her tightly.

"I love you, Hinata-chan," he whispered as he clung to her. She smiled, tears welling in her eyes as she thought of how many times she had fantasized about this moment.

"And I you, Naruto-kun," she whispered back.

"Well, isn't this sweet," Tsunade as she ascended to stand next to the couple, Shizune in tow. Naruto stuck his tongue out at the Godaime and hugged Hinata tighter.

"You're just jealous, Tsunade-ba-chan!" Naruto complained, releasing his girlfriend whom he believed was running low on air.

Tsunade, surprisingly, laughed, then sobered almost immediately after. "I don't know what you did, brat, but Haku's well on the way to recovery. He shouldn't get up for a few days, but he says he'll be ready to help with the reconstruction soon.

Naruto gave a sigh of relief. "Good. I was hoping that my little trick would be more than a temporary cure. How's the reconstruction faring, by the way?"

Tsunade sighed. "Well enough. My plan is to hold a memorial service for those killed in the attack tonight. But first, we have to round up the remaining ninja and civilians from Grass and organize an escort to take them home; I think they'll be protected enough by our veteran genin and a few chuunin, seeing as how the major threats have been eliminated. After all the foreign stuff is out of the way we'll focus all efforts on rebuilding Konoha. Once that's complete, I'll hold an announcement on your selection to be the Rokudaime Hokage."

Naruto paled. "What's the matter, kid? I thought this was your dream," Tsunade said as she placed a hand on Naruto's head.

"It is," he affirmed, gazing at their fallen village and absently toying with the jade necklace underneath his black ninja outfit. "I'm just worried how the village will… react," he clarified.

Tsunade laughed. "Naruto, how do you think hokages are selected?"

Naruto shrugged. "By you and the council, I would guess; isn't that what you said to me in the hospital?"

"That's true, but the decision has to be confirmed by a popular vote, in which all shinobi and civilians can participate in," Shizune chimed in.

A small flicker of doubt in Naruto became a flame of hope. "You mean…" he said in disbelief.

"The vote was held immediately after you left for Amegakure," Tsunade confirmed, a large smile forming on her pretty visage. "Congratulations, you unfaithful little brat."

Naruto laughed, though inside he was dancing for joy. _I'm finally gonna acheive my dream. I can finally protect my home as the Hokage, because the villagers have finally acknowledged me..._

"Ummmm… excuse me?" a voice called out. Tsunade whipped around, and Naruto, Hinata, and Shizune followed suit. They were faced with a pair of young men in their late teens, yet both of them exuded a sense of experience, the kind of aura one gives off when they have seen much and learned even more in the world.

"Hi there! My name is Alphonse Elric, and his is my older brother, Edward Elric. Ah…" Alphonse said, trailing off when he realized that the strangely dressed people in front of him couldn't understand a word he was saying. "brother, we've got a problem," he said worriedly.

"Easy, Al," Ed cautioned. "Even if they can't understand us, Alphonse and Edward can't be mistaken for anything other than names." He pointed to himself. "Edward," he said slowly, then gestured towards his brother. "Alphonse," he repeated. He sighed with relief when the blonde dressed in black who looked a lot like their father Hohenheim of Light, with his blonde ponytail and loose hairs around his face, returned a dangerous-looking sword to its sheath.

The tall blonde with the ponytail, green coat, and enormous bust motioned towards a large tent. Edward surveyed the wreckage of what appeared to be a village.

"Look's like they've recently seen some hard times," he said to his brother as they were escorted warily to the tent.

An idea was forming in Alphonse's mind, but he kept it to himself for now, following his brother silently into the tent.

When they entered, the tall busty blonde spoke, and it took Al and Ed a minute to realize she was speaking to them, in their language!

"I don't know where you two came from, but you better explain. I haven't heard this language for years since I had traveled to the ends of the continent. I don't look it, but I'm old, 54 years old. So hang on a sec while I try a jutsu that will let us all speak plainly," Tsunade said glaring at the two blondes. They nodded dumbly.

"Tsuande-sama, what's going on?" Kira asked, wondering when the confusions of the day would cease.

"Just a minute," she said over her shoulder. She formed a long series of seals, with Naruto wondering whether she would ever stop when suddenly she ended on tiger.

"**Translation no jutsu!"** she yelled. Suddenly, Naruto's vision was filled with chakra which latticed around all the bodies in the room and then hovered in the air like a cloud. He deactivated the Shirugan for fear of burning it out, and turned to the strangers.

"So; you're Edward, and you're Alphonse? Ed and Al?" he said for clarification, pointing to each of them in turn. They nodded. "What a strange jutsu," Naruto said under his breath, though apparently too loudly as Tsunade shot him a glare.

"And you are?" Ed asked bluntly. Naruto grinned.

"Uzumaki Naruto. The busty ba-chan is Tsunade; she's the leader of our village. This beautiful off-limits girl with the lavender eyes is my girlfriend, Hinata-chan. The red-head drooling all over the black-haired injured dude back there are Kira-chan and Haku, and the black-haired woman behind you is Shizune-chan. Oh, and the pink-haired babe behind you is Sakura-chan; the poor slob who also happens to be my best friend is Sasuke. Say hi to everyone!" he said, waving his arms around the group which was collectively glaring at him, though Hinata, Sakura, and Tsunade were also blushing.

Alphonse shuddered. "You've got as much energy as brother," he said with fear, earning him a rap on the head.

"Ow! brother, you can't do that like you used to, it hurts!" Al complained. Ed huffed.

"Good! Now maybe it'll help get the message across!" he retorted. He noticed Naruto looking at them puzzedly. "We're brothers," he said, as if that explained all.

Which it did. "Oh," Naruto replied.

"So who are you and where did you come from? Why are you here?" Tsunade said abruptly. "We're sure you're both very friendly, but we're just wrapping up a war and we're really at our limit with crazy crap going on," she said, explaining her somewhat inhospitable behavior.

"Understood. My brother and I are alchemists from a parallel world that often been called Shamballa. We have the ability, in certain parallel worlds like this one and our home, to decompose matter and restructure it according to our whim if the correct materials are present in the correct amounts. If we are anything, we are scientists, and we are desperately trying to get back to our home," Edward explained. Seeing the looks of utter confusion on some faces, he added, "And that was the short version. Pray to whatever you worship here that I don't have to recount the full one."

Kira brought a hand to her head and massaged it gently. "I really need a nap," she moaned. Haku grinned and made to shuffle over as if to make room for her on the makeshift hospital bed, which earned him a blush from Kira, a grin, and a light smack.

"And just how did you end up here?" Sasuke said, moving around to face the two brothers. Ed sighed as Al fielded this one.

"_Brother_ here thought that he had the right destination in mind when we went through the Gate-" he began, but he was stopped.

"What's this Gate?" Sakura questioned innocently.

"It's sort of a portal between worlds. At first, we believed it connected only ours to another, but we've recently discovered that there are many parallel worlds, all connected through this gate. There is a finite number, which means we're sure to get it right eventually," Ed clarified. Then, something caught his eye and stared at Naruto until he became uncomfortable.

"You, for example, have come into contact with the Gate," he said after a moment's inspection. Naruto nodded.

"I think I'm beginning to see the connection here. This Gate is the door through which all life passes in death, correct?" Naruto asked. Ed nodded.

"We're not sure where souls who have no bodies go, but it's definitely nowhere a living human body can go," he said, shuddering as he said the last bit.

"We know; we tried once, and we paid the price. We got back what we lost, but now we still have to get home again," Al said vaguely. Meanwhile, Ed had placed his hand on his chin and appeared to be in deep thought.

"Come to think of it, when we were walking in the Gate last time I remember seeing someone who was dressed a lot like you lot here," he said after some introspection. "Great mane of white hair, red streaks down his eyes…"

Naruto's heart stopped. "What did you say?" Tsunade asked hurriedly, leaning towards Ed and Al and causing them to blush at the cleavage revealed to them.

_Just like sensei,_ They thought in unison. Aloud:

"Yeah, we met him in the Gate. Now that you mention it," Edward added, fishing around in the pockets of his jacket. "He put this in my pocket; I can't it, but maybe you can. Did you know him?" he asked as he handed the scroll to Naruto, who pocketed it immediately.

"Yeah," he said sadly. Yet he couldn't help but wonder. Where was Ero-sennin?

"Ummmm… we really need to get going," Alphonse said awkwardly after a pause. Tsunade nodded suddenly.

"We can help you, actually," she said quickly. "Come with me."

And she exited the tent, Elric brothers in tow. Not knowing what else to do, Naruto and his friends followed.

"Help me up," Haku said abruptly, and the seriousness in his voice startled Kira into helping him onto her shoulder. He smiled warmly at her as they limped outside together.

Tsunade appeared to be giving them directions to the Valley of the End. When she had finished the Elric brothers thanked her and made to leave. But before they had gotten far, they appeared to begin to argue, and soon they had stopped completely. Finally, the older brother Edward threw his hands up in the air and followed the younger brother Alphonse back to the group of strangely dressed people.

"I think we can help you in return for your help, lady," Al said excitedly. "Equivalent trade, after all."

Tsunade only nodded. "And what did you have in mind?" understanding the principle which the boy spoke of. The boy grinned.

"That rubble, that makes a circle around the rest of the debris: was that a wall?" Ed asked, seemingly at random. Tsunade nodded, and Ed grinned.

"Watch this: we'll show you what alchemy can do," the elder brother said proudly as he walked towards the village. "Get everyone out of what's left of this village," he ordered.

Tsunade twitched a little at being so casually ordered around, but spread the word nonetheless. Soon all the shinobi and kunoichi and civilians who had been hard at work were gathered around them. The two brothers, satisfied that no humans were present in the village, approached.

As one, they clapped their hands and slammed them into the ground in front of them.

Everyone was forced to turn away at the flash of blue light that followed. Hinata, who had activated her Byakugan, was forced to quickly release it and hoped her cousin Neji and her family had done the same. Next her, Naruto and Sasuke also released their doujutsus for fear of being blinded by the energy they all saw so clearly.

When the light died down, many fell to their knees, others were too shocked to even do that and simply stood, their jaws hanging limply on their hinges. Before them stood the wall which had once surrounded the village of Konoha in all its glory before Akatsuki's attack completely demolished it. It had been reconstructed completely, in a style none of the people gathered had ever seen. But it looked strong, strong enough to defend the Will of Fire.

The two brothers got to their feet and appraised the reaction of their audience, paling as they took in the effect.

"Brother, it's definitely time to go," Alphonse said.

"Yeah," Ed agreed quickly, and while the village was struck dumb, they made their escape.

* * *

"I'm glad we did that, brother," Alphonse said happily as they followed the directions towards the place the busty lady had given them as a good place to open the Gate. 

"Yeah, yeah. I guess we just can't keep ourselves from helping other people," Ed said grumpily.

"Mother would be proud," Al mentioned as they walked. Ed smiled and gazed at the sky.

"Yeah… she is," he said happily.

* * *

Naruto was one of those who had fallen to his knees in utter shock, the emotions and trials of the day bringing him to the ground. 

"Incredible," Tsunade said, rubbing her eyes to make sure she wasn't hallucinating, then bringing the scroll the two strangers had given them to her eyes. After she perused it, she passed it to Naruto and took stock of the situation.

"HEY! GET BACK TO WORK, YOU LAZY BUMS!" she yelled good-naturedly. Choruses of 'osu!' assaulted the Godaime's ears as everyone went back to their unfinished tasks...

* * *

"We are gathered here so that we may never forget this day," Tsunade began. 

They had finally reached a point in the reconstruction where Tsunade declared a halt to the day, and ordered that the population gather as best it could around the memorial stone near the training grounds, which lay outside of the conflict which had ravaged Konoha. The ninja and civilians from Grass had been dismissed from the Hokage's command to return to their home to rebuild their own village after a casualty report for their forces had been written up.

Everyone had surrounded Tsunade, Naruto, and his friends around the stone, which Kira had used an earth jutsu on to enlarge and engrave the names as dictated by Tsunade on the new stone.

_Dear Tsunade-ba-chan, Naruto-gaki, and everyone else I'm forgetting,_

"A week ago, refugees from Grass came to Konoha seeking protection from the criminal organization known as Akatsuki. They warned us of the impending attack, and loaned us their support in defending Konoha against those bastards," Tsunade continued, building momentum.

_I'm writing this because I have a feeling that someone somewhere and some-when will be able to deliver this to you. I'm not sure when that'll be, but I'm pretty sure that it'll be soon._

"Akatsuki's army attacked a few days ago. Thanks to a brilliant counterstrategy devised by Nara Shikamaru, we were able to protect the civilians of Konoha and hold our own against our enemies. However, this would not have been possible without the sacrifice of many, many ninja in the service of Sunagakure, Grass, and those who died fighting with the Will of Fire."

_I just wanted to remind you that I'm fine. I'm not sure where this pathway I'm walking down leaves, but I sense that soon I will finally be at peace after a long (thankfully) lifetime of battles and struggles. Being one of the Legendary Sannin wasn't easy, and now, Tsunade, you're the last._

"Among those who sacrificed their lives so that we might gather here today are Inuzuka Kiba, Shiranui Genma,…." The list went on for a very long time, as on the stone were engraved the names of all the Suna ninja Gaara sent and the Grass nin who had died in the battle.

_But we left behind our legacies, didn't we? You trained that loud pink-haired babe, and I trained the heir of the Yondaime Hokage. Hell, even Orochimaru did his share, if that blonde loudmouth ever manages to bring that asshole of an Uchiha back. Looks like the Legend of the Sannin will live on, ne? Keep your chin up, Tsunade-hime. We'll see each other again, I'm sure of it._

"Let us never forget what happened! And let us never forget the actions of all the ninja of Konoha, those who died and those who lived, who lived on to enjoy the fruits of their efforts to defend their homes, those who will live on, allowing those who died to live on in their memories!" Tsunade declared, and the crowd began to roar.

_Naruto: make sure you become Hokage. Defend our home like I never could, and do me proud, or when I meet you on the other side I will thrash you the minute I see you! You'll do well, kid. I have never trusted anyone else to get the job done more than you. Take care of your girlfriend and treat her right. Don't let go of what you have, and treasure it forever._

_Kami-sama, but I'm terrible at writing mushy stuff. Tell Kakashi that he can release the final part of Make-Out Paradise whenever he wants, and I'll see you all after you've lived your lives to the fullest._

"Konoha will be rebuilt! We will thrive, and no one will ever forget the day we stared Hell in the face, and fought it back. For Konoha!" Tsunade yelled.

"For Konoha!" Naruto echoed, raising his fist into the air.

"FOR KONOHA!" the crowd roared. "FOR KONOHA! FOR KONOHA! FOR KONOHA!"

_May True Strength be with you always, and remember me fondly._

_Jiraiya (Lord of all Toads, Master of the Ways of the Woman, and King Hermit of all Love.)_

* * *

Tsunade stood outside the medical tent which had been fashioned into bedchambers for herself, Shizune, Sakura, Kira, and Hinata. The day was officially over and Tsunade had ordered everyone to get a good night's sleep. She had just finished chatting with her attendants when Naruto walked over, a look of content and peace on his face. 

"What's up, kid?" Tsunade asked playfully as he walked over. Naruto looked up and smiled.

"We can finally rest," he said simply. Tsunade looked affronted.

"What, you're just gonna let everyone else rebuild your village?" she asked incredulously, but Naruto just laughed.

"No, of course not. I mean with the fighting and everything," Naruto clarified. Tsunade shook her head.

"Orochimaru's Otogakure and Akatsuki weren't the only threats in this world, you know. Time passed in the rest of the world, even though it seemed to stand still while we fought for our home," Tsunade admonished. Naruto nodded, the smile remaining.

"I know that, but I still can't shake this feeling of completion. Do you know what I mean?" he pleaded.

Tsunade ruffled his hair, glad that he wasn't taller than her. "Yeah, I do, kid," she said with a grin. "But we've still got a lot of work to do."

Naruto surprised her then, though she should have expected such unpredictability from him when he pulled her into a hug.

"Yeah, we do. But at least we'll be there for each other. We'll be strong, just like Ero-sennin wanted us to be, ne?" he said.

Tsunade couldn't stop the tear from emerging from her eye. "Yeah, Naruto. We will be."

Naruto pulled away sheepishly. "I'm gonna go say goodnight to Hinata-chan. See you tomorrow, baa-chan!" he said as he literally ran away from the wrath of the Godaime Hokage.

As luck would have it, Naruto crossed paths with Hinata almost immediately. As luck would _not_ have it, this too occurred in the most literal sense. They collided with a smack, and only Naruto's quick reflexes allowed him to catch his love before she landed flat on her back.

"Kuso! Naruto-kun, why must you run around like tha-" Hinata began, but was cut off by Naruto's lips on hers.

When he broke the kiss, he saw that she was blushing.

"That wasn't fair, Naruto-kun. I'm still upset," Hinata said unconvincingly. Naruto laughed and pulled her into a hug.

"Goodnight, Hinata-chan. I'll see you in the morning," he said, pecking her on the cheek and moving off.

"Naruto-kun," she called out. He paused and turned around.

"Yeah, Hinata-chan?" he asked, concern etched into the eyes Hinata had come to read so well. She smiled, his eyes removing all doubt from her mind that he loved her, and shook her head.

"Goodnight, Naruto-kun," she said simply. Naruto smiled, and Hinata turned away, lest he see her blush again.

Naruto made his way to the tent he was sharing with Haku and Sasuke and looked up at the stars before he went inside.

_I _will_ be strong, Jiraiya-sensei. I'll try harder than ever to protect our village and my precious people._

And he grinned as he walked into his tent, not even needing to add the obvious conclusion of that declaration:

_And I don't go back on my word: that's my 'way of the ninja'!_

* * *

And that, my faithful reader, is the end - of this tale, at any rate. Expect the sequel to begin in a couple of weeks, so keep your eyes peeled! 

Again, thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed my little story. As for the sequel, don't worry: I'm only writing one because it just wouldn't go with this story's flow to continue Naruto's tale here. So I'm starting another story to finish out what I have in mind. See you there!

Mike Geib.


	35. A Job Well Done!

So here follows the next chapter! Essentially, all that passes are a few months and a LOT of work on Konoha, despite the assistance from, ahem, otherworldly beings. Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 35: A Job Well Done

The sun was shining, and the birds were singing. The clouds were drifting lazily overhead; nothing was wrong with the day.

"ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ…" Naruto snored loudly.

Haku and Sasuke stared at the roof of their tent. They could tell the day had begun outside from the light that was sneaking inside their tent, but that wasn't what was on their minds at the moment. Half an hour ago their blonde friend had woken the two of them up with his nocturnal ministrations, and they were beginning to become annoyed.

"ZZZZZZZZZZZZ."

Or, perhaps it would be better to say, 'enraged.'

"ZZZZZZZZ?"

"KAMI-SAMA DAMN HIM, I CAN'T TAKE THIS ANYMORE!" Haku screamed at the ceiling. Almost as one, he and Sasuke rose from their roll-out futons, shoving aside their blankets and standing on either side of Naruto, who continued to sleep, blissfully unaware of the killing intent that was exploding from the two sleepy and terribly angry shinobi.

They stood for a moment, waiting for the next snore, poised to attack.

It never came, and Haku breathed a sigh of relief and turned back to his welcoming futon; Sasuke began to follow suit, but something nagged in the back of his head, like when you realize the opponent you just knocked down is getting back up again.

"ZZZZ!"

"No more!" Sasuke exploded, spinning around and bringing his right leg up, toes pointing up and heel down. Beyond rational thought, he brought his heel down on the solar plexus of his brother and best friend.

It collided solidly with Naruto's chest, and the blonde coughed up blood, arching his back and leaning forward, normal blue eyes wide. He stared up at Sasuke's maniacal grin, horrified.

Then Naruto grinned, and the kage bunshin disappeared in a poof of smoke.

"AUGH!" he yelled, jumping away from Naruto's now vacant futon. Haku looked on in absolute confusion until his sensitive ears picked up a curiously familiar sound.

"Someone's laughing," Haku said quietly to the panicky Sasuke, who calmed down and nodded. Each grabbed a kunai and stalked out of the tent, seeking the blonde's ridiculously large and distinctive chakra.

* * *

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Naruto howled with laughter as he sat under a tree a few dozen meters away. "The latest prank is a success!" he exulted, having just received the information from his destroyed clone.

For the past few months, all of Konoha was preoccupied with reconstruction except for elite jounin, who were still taking missions because a) their skills were better used elsewhere, and b) Tsunade insisted that they keep up a steady income. "And just how do you think we'll pay for all the materials for rebuilding Konoha?" she had demanded of Sakura when she questioned the Godaime.

However, Naruto and his friends were not sent on a mission, on the grounds of, "You need to calm the hell down!"

All Naruto heard was, "I want you to do the most boring job on the face of this continent." He loved Konoha, he truly did. But the routine of the last few months was getting to him. Actually, it got to him three days after he and his army of kage bunshins started helping, but he didn't let on that he was so bored for a few months, something that he thought was very mature. However, in the end his urge for excitement got the better of him, and the prankster within him reemerged. Now, he celebrated his latest in a long line of pranks, which he believed not only made his days more enjoyable, but made the lives of the rest of the villagers and ninja more interesting as well.

"Everybody wins," he said satisfactorily as he settled in more comfortably under his tree.

Then he felt the cold steel against his neck, and sighed. "But apparently not everyone shares that belief. I didn't think you two got up this early," he added goadingly.

Sasuke's hand twitched and Naruto decided to wait for them to speak.

After a few moments, the kunai were withdrawn from Naruto's neck and Haku and Sasuke sat down next to him. "Oh well," Haku said off-handedly. "We had to get nailed eventually."

Sasuke nodded in agreement. "I'm just glad you went easy on us, ototo." he added, remembering the sheer horror of the last prank which involved two cans of paint, one Sannin, one pink-haired kunoichi, and a large quantity of rope.

Naruto rubbed his cheek absentmindedly. "I didn't want to antagonize you unnecessarily," he explained. Sasuke huffed.

"And coating Hokage-sama and Sakura-chan with paint _was _necessary? Do you have any idea how long I had to put up with the aftermath of that one?" Sasuke complained. Naruto laughed and jabbed him in the shoulder as he got up.

"Stop whining, Sasuke-ni-san, it doesn't become you. C'mon, we've gotta go! Y'all know what day it is!" Naruto said excitedly and ran in the direction of the camp, Haku and Sasuke close behind.

Faintly, Naruto heard a muttered, "I was _not_ whining," and laughed quietly.

* * *

When they returned to the camp, it was like an anthill had exploded. People scurried about with incredible haste, collapsing tents and gathering belonging salvaged from the former wreckage of Konoha. In the midst of the chaos he caught sight of Shizune standing on a crate and directing several shinobi left, right, forwards, and backwards.

"Naruto-kun! Thank Kami-sama you're here, could you give me a hand?" she pleaded helplessly. Naruto smiled, forming a favorite seal.

"**Tajuu Kage Bunshin no jutsu!"** he said, and several hundred poofs of smoke later, several hundred Narutos awaited Shizune's command at attention.

"Arigato gozaimas," Shizune said breathlessly. Naruto smiled and nodded, moving onward as some of the clones began to organize the masses and others carried their supplies.

"Y'know, Konoha wouldn't be reopening today if it weren't for you," Haku said seriously as he and Sasuke followed Naruto to where Tsunade was preparing for the highlight of the day.

Naruto laughed, amazed again at Haku's ability to waver between the extremes of being gravely serious and being a smart-ass. "Yeah, if I weren't here, Konoha would never have been destroyed and we wouldn't need to have a reopening of the village," he said mirthlessly. Sasuke smirked anyway, but Haku frowned.

"I mean it, Naruto," he said. Naruto turned around and smiled sincerely.

"I know, Haku, and that means a lot. To be honest, I just wish I could have done more," he said, returning his gaze forward as they passed more tents being taken down.

"You mean like that time you _did_ try to do more, as in _too much_, and you almost _died_?" a feminine voice called out.

"Hinata-chan," Naruto whined, reminding Sasuke of a much younger and not-much-less mature blonde demon-container. "That was an accident, and besides, how was I supposed to find out without trying?" he explained as his girlfriend walked over towards the three shinobi.

Naruto, in a fit of rage one day, decided to increase the rate at which Konoha was being reconstructed by creating three times as many clones as normal. The resulting army did, in fact, speed up the process tremendously for a day, until Naruto dispelled the clones en masse. The resulting torrent of information knocked him out cold for a full 24 hours, thus negating any benefits of the added clone workers. Naruto reported after he woke up that, "It was like trying to talk to several women at once," earning him a smack from Tsunade and a sigh from Hinata.

"Hey Haku-kun, Sasuke-kun," Hinata greeted. The boys nodded back, and they continued to Tsuande's tent.

"'Bout time you got here, gaki," Tsunade barked when they reached her palisade, or the now-bare ground where it used to be.

"Sorry, Hokage-sama, but there were some… complications," Sasuke answered stiffly, still disgruntled about losing his sleep.

"Never mind that. Naruto, I assume you're gathering the masses now?" the busty blonde asked. Naruto nodded, then nodded even more vigorously.

"One of my clones was just dispelled. Apparently, everyone's ready," he clarified. Tsunade grinned.

"Let's do this."

* * *

"Citizens of Konoha, you have all worked extremely hard for the past ninety-three days, and now I am proud to announce that Konoha is officially rebuilt!" Tsunade shouted triumphantly to the crowd amassed before the main gate of the hidden village.

"YATTA!" the crowd cheered exuberantly. Tsunade smiled as she turned around and pushed open the gates.

"We did it," Naruto said softly as he walked down the main street with Tsunade, Hinata, Sasuke, and Haku.

"It wasn't easy, but we sure did," Tsunade agreed. For a lot goes into the reconstruction of a village. Aside from rebuilding the exterior buildings and getting rid of the hell-swamps that were used in the battle, electrical, plumbing, and sewage systems all needed to be rebuilt and improved upon. Tsunade wouldn't say it, but she was shocked that Konoha was ready for inhabitation once again.

"Tsunade-sama!" a voice called out, and the little party stopped and allowed the crowd to filter past them in the streets while Sakura and Kira caught up to the group.

"Hey Sakura-chan, Kira-chan," Naruto said. "Where've you been all morning? Were you even there for the reopening?"

Sakura glared. "Some of us have responsibilities, Naruto-nii-chan. Kira-chan and I were finishing the healing of those injured during the construction."

"Sakura-chan, be nice. Naruto-kun is just concerned," Kira admonished lightly with the air of an old woman. Sakura laughed and shook her head, while Naruto grinned.

"Hey, before you go off somewhere, I want to see all of you in my office at 5:30 sharp!" Tsunade reminded.

"Hai, obaa-chan," Naruto said seriously as he saluted, then ducked underneath Sakura's and Tsuande's intended slaps.

"Don't forget!" she warned as she stalked off. Naruto watched her go, sticking out his tongue at her back.

"I just don't get you, Naruto-kun," Kira said helplessly as the group began to wander aimlessly down the avenue, Naruto leading. He chuckled.

"That old hag and I go way back, Kira-chan. In fact, I was the one that got her to come back to the village and be the Godaime on a bet," he said smugly, bringing the crystal necklace of the Shodaime out from his black shirt and body armor and showing it to Kira. "I also won this; it's an heirloom of the Shodaime Hokage and worth more than a few mountains."

Kira paled. "I understand the Legendary Sucker now more than ever," she said, awed by this revelation. Naruto laughed.

"Hey, how about we all hang at my place before Tsunade has us over?" Naruto offered.

"That actually sounds like a good idea; too bad you wasted your only one of the day," Haku said laughing. Naruto punched him in the shoulder.

"Actually, I'm all for that. Those clan compounds on that side of Konoha were strangely untouched," Sasuke reminded them. Hinata nodded.

"That's right, since the Hyuuga and the Uzumaki were over there and the Uchiha were on the other side. What happened to your home, Sasuke-kun?" Hinata asked. Sasuke grinned.

"Itachi-nii-san insisted that it be rebuilt, since now there were _two_ Uchiha in Konoha. He says that once he and I… well, that is to say…" he trailed off, frowning and glancing sideways at Sakura, who blushed and stared determinedly ahead.

Kira giggled. "No need to be ashamed, Sakura-chan," she teased. Sakura whipped around, eyes wide and cheeks red.

"I'm not ashamed!" she practically yelled. Kira laughed and ignored her, further infuriating the pink-haired mess.

"Easy guys, you can kill each other later, but for now we're here," Naruto said hastily, forestalling the killing intent that was beginning to radiate from Sakura.

Naruto led his friends up the pathway to his very large house and made a ram seal and placed his hands on the door. Hinata, who was standing next to him, watched as his eyes turned from their normal blue iris surrounded by white to solid steel-blue orbs with misty silver pupils. She felt a surge of chakra, and the door swung open.

"What was that all about, Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked curiously as they crossed the threshold.

"What was what about?" Haku asked, lost. Kira bopped him on the head.

"I placed a seal on my house that only I can open with the Shirugan," Naruto explained as he led them to the kitchen of his two-story abode.

"Nice place, Naruto-nii-chan," Sakura commented. Naruto paused and snapped his fingers.

"That's right! The only person who's ever been in here aside from me was Neji!" Naruto said suddenly. Hinata's eyes narrowed.

"Ni-san? What was he doing here?" Hinata asked slowly. Naruto laughed sheepishly and began to pull packages of ramen from a cupboard.

"He came to, ah… 'chat' a bit with me after our first date all those months ago," Naruto said, remembering Neji's forced entry into his home and the subsequent interrogation.

"Oh, Kami-sama," Hinata said, burying her face in her hands. Naruto walked across the kitchen and gave her a quick hug.

"That was like a year ago, Hinata-chan. And he was just worried about you," he tossed over his shoulder as he pulled pots out and set water to boiling. "Feel free to look around!" he added as he cooked. "The ramen won't be ready for a bit."

As Kira, Sasuke, Sakura, and Haku left the kitchen to explore the sizeable residence of Uzumaki Naruto, Hinata hung behind. When everyone had left, and it looked like Naruto was doing nothing but watch the water boil, she grabbed the blonde and spun him around, kissing him fiercely.

"Mmf," was all Naruto could manage before he was lost in Hinata's deep kiss. After a bit they broke off and Naruto leaned his forehead on Hinata's.

"You're amazing, Hinata-chan," Naruto whispered as Shirugan met lavender. Hinata smiled and squeezed her boyfriend.

"I love you, Naruto-kun," she murmured in reply. Naruto smiled.

"And I you; now get out of here! Go check the place out, your distracting me from cooking," Naruto said playfully. Hinata smiled mischievously and, on her way out, she couldn't resist the target Naruto presented her when he turned back to the stove.

"Youch!" he yelped, grabbing his derriere. He stared at the retreating back of his girlfriend in awe, then returned his attention to the ramen, albeit with a little more to think about.

_I never knew Hinata-chan was so… feisty,_ he thought, puzzled and yet, at the same time, strangely pleased.

After a while, Naruto shouted that the meal was ready, and the ninja scattered throughout the house managed to find their way back to the kitchen, where steaming bowls of noodles mixed with chicked, hard-boiled eggs, and a lobster tail awaited them.

"By all that is holy, Naruto-kun, but what the hell!" Kira said in disbelief. Naruto huffed.

"I've lived by myself for my entire life, with only myself to take care of myself. Also, after eating at Ichiraku's Ramen for much of that life, I picked up a few tips from the old man," Naruto explained simply.

Sakura took a bite, and hummed with pleasure. "Naruto-otouto, this is delicious," she said after she swallowed.

"Yerh, thirsh esh rully gud," Haku echoed, not bothering to stop eating to speak properly, or even breathe for that matter.

After a few minutes (and Kira bopping Haku on the head for his terrible table manners), the food was consumed and Naruto leaned back in his chair with a satisfied belch.

"So whadja think of the house?" he asked. Sasuke grinned.

"You don't deserve a place this nice," he said. Naruto laughed.

"It is really awesome; plenty of room for you and Hinata-chan to fill it with kids," Sakura said, grinning evilly. Hinata blushed furiously, but Naruto shrugged.

"It _was_ built for an entire clan, which would explain the size," he replied smoothly, trying not to let his own massive blush or his dirty thoughts surface. He took a look at the clock and gulped. "Crap, we're gonna be late; c'mon, let's get over to Tsunade's place before she tears up the village to find us."

As they sprinted across the rooftops toward the Hokage Tower, Kira glanced sideways at Naruto.

"Naruto-kun, why did you show us your house?" she asked. "There had to have been a point to all that other than eating, right?"

Naruto grinned. "I'll explain after we meet with baa-chan." And that was all he said.

* * *

Tsunade stared at the clock on the wall. Shizune squeezed Ton-ton a little too tightly and the little piglet squealed in protest.

Just before the clock ticked to 5:31, the door exploded inward and several people entered, foremost among them Naruto, who lost his footing and stumbled to his feet. He immediately righted himself in front of Tsunade's desk and saluted.

"All present and accounted for, baa-… Tsunade-sama!" he said, abruptly changing tact with the realization that this was not the time to push the woman's buttons.

Tsunade smiled. "Just in time, gaki. I would've expected this of Kakashi's students, but as for you, Kira and Haku, what's your excuse? Is Team 7 rubbing off on you?" she asked with no small amount of humor.

Team 7 glared while Haku and Kira shared a small giggle. Tsunade smiled as well, then became serious.

"Right, now down to business. Konoha has been completely rebuilt, and we can start taking missions again, but first there are some things to iron out," Tsunade began as she rummaged around in her desk. When she finished she withdrew two hitai and dangled them from her right hand propped on her desk at the elbow.

"Do you two know what this is?" Tsunade asked, staring at Haku and Kira. Haku nodded.

"A Konoha hitai, symbolizing one's allegiance to Konohagakure," he recited as if from a textbook. Tsunade nodded.

"Will you wear it in the full knowledge that you will be a shinobi, a soldier under my command, and that if I order you to die you will do so because I wished it?" Tsunade challenged, staring at Haku. He appeared to be thinking before he leaned forward and took the metal plate from the Legendary Sannin and tied it around his forehead, pulling back his long black hair as he did so.

"I will," he promised. Tsunade smiled.

"Good. Oh, and just so you know, that last bit was ceremonial; Hokages never order shinobi to their deaths," Tsunade said lightly. Haku nodded, somewhat relieved. Tsunade then turned to Kira. She held up the remaining hitai and Kira tensed, suddenly aware of every ounce of weight she bore on her current hitai of Iwagakure. Tsunade watched her for a moment, then placed the Konoha hitai on the desk softly.

"I will not ask you that question yet Kira, but I will say this: a few weeks ago a missive arrived from the Tsuchikage inquiring about your welfare. I returned the letter saying that you were healthy and happy and that you were staying to help with the reconstruction. This came a few days ago," Tsunade said, holding up an opened letter. "The Tsuchikage writes that he is very pleased with you and that you are well. He also writes that he has a mission for you," Tsunade said sternly. Kira looked confused.

"Tsuchikage-sama writes that you are to be the ambassador to Konoha from Iwagakure and that you are to facilitate an alliance between Konohagakure and Iwagakure, 'for mutual benefit and protection in the coming struggles.'" Tsunade quoted the letter. Kira smiled.

"This mission… just how long will I be in Konoha?" Kira asked, a grin forming on her lips. Behind his back, Haku crossed his fingers.

Tsunade grinned. "The mission is expected to last six months, or as long or as short as needed. When the official document is written up a copy will be sent to the Tsuchikage. After he receives it, he writes that he will send a reply for you, Kira," Tsunade said seriously. Kira nodded, now openly smiling.

"_Yes,_" Haku whispered. Kira turned around.

"You say something?" she asked innocently. Haku shook his head furiously, and Kira about-faced again, complete with a slight blush.

"Now, while you are here I have a favor to ask of you," Tsunade continued. Kira nodded.

"Of course," she affirmed.

"Could you stay in Uzumaki complex during your stay in Konoha? Frankly, it's the best living quarters the village can offer, and I doubt Naruto would mind," Tsunade said bluntly. Naruto stepped forward.

"Actually, Tsunade-sama, I have an idea. It would be stupid to not include Kira in my team's missions, so this is my idea: let my team, Sasuke-nii-san, Sakura-onee-chan, Hinata-chan, Haku no Aisu, and Kira-chan, stay at my house. It would make things a lot easier, and would improve our teamwork," he added hopefully. Sakura smiled.

"That explains a bit," she said helplessly, shaking her head. Tsunade thought it over, though she had expected Naruto to ask this.

"Of course. Shashiya Kira, is this arrangement alright with you, performing missions for Konoha while you are not helping me draft an alliance agreement?" Tsunade asked seriously. Kira nodded happily, and Tsunade turned to each of the ninja in the room, all of whom nodded their assent. She nodded and slammed her hand down on the desk. "Yosh! I order you to get some rest and report back here tomorrow morning no later than 8! Dismissed!" she ordered.

Naruto and friends left the room, and soon they were standing outside the entrance to the tower. He turned to his friends, a sheepish smile on his face.

"Sorry for the mystery tour earlier, but I wanted to surprise you all," he said apologetically. Sakura reached up and flicked Naruto's short ponytail.

"That's alright, ototo, just don't try anything sneaky with Hinata-chan, neh?" she reprimanded, laughing slightly when Hinata blushed and Naruto let out a gag.

"C'mon, Sakura-onee-chan, you know I would never do anything like that!" Naruto protested as they began to walk back to Naruto's home.

"Heh…," Sasuke said as they walked. Naruto turned around, miffed.

"Yeah? And what was that for, Sasuke-_kun?_" Naruto demanded, but Sasuke only whistled and continued, albeit at a much faster pace.

"Hey! Get back here, teme!" Naruto howled, running after his brother who only ran faster, now chuckling softly. The rest of the team ran after the two.

Hinata's long dark bluish hair bounced merrily as she dashed after her friends. _We're finally home,_ she thought happily.

Yet as she ran, she couldn't help but shake the feeling that their trials were not over yet, that some great challenge for them loomed on the horizon once more, and that there would be much more bloodshed and sorrow before they could truly rest.

* * *

Far, far away from the Village Hidden in the Leaves, a man approached another man, his footsteps on the stone floor resounding off the metal walls. The man who approached came within a meter of the other, who sat in a chair perusing a scroll, and bent to one knee.

"My lord, I have news," the kneeling man said softly. He waited for what seemed an hour, but was actually only a few minutes, while the sitting man finished the scroll, then rolled it up and regarded the kneeling man coolly.

"Report."

The kneeling man bowed his head. "My lord, Pain-sama is dead. What's more, the destruction of Konoha failed, and the village has been completely rebuilt. Also, all of Akatsuki has been destroyed while the jinchuuriki fighting for Konoha have all survived," he regaled, then fell silent, giving the other man no reason to punish the messenger.

The seated individual thought for a moment, then stood and brought the kneeling man to his feet. As he rose, a hitai caught the light and reflected the standing man's face; eyes with crimson iris reflected back, and then they were gone.

"This is disturbing news, but not entirely unwelcome. With Akatsuki out of the picture, we will be free to make ends meet without any interference," the red-eyed man said calmly. "Go inform the council of these developments," he ordered. The messenger bowed and exited the room of metal and stone. The remaining occupant stood for a moment, then walked to one of the windows, gazing out on a thriving city of strange, spired buildilngs which somehow seemed… futuristic. He stared, watching the familiar rain began again, obscuring the man's view of his city.

"Soon… soon," he said softly as lightning flashed and thunder boomed.

_Soon._

* * *

Well, I hope you all enjoyed the introduction to the next part of this tale! As always, your comments and criticisms are greatly appreciated.

Thanks for reading!


	36. A New Mission

It is really weird going back to these chapters and editing them. I keep thinking "I didn't write this!" But oh well.

Thar be more story! Oh, and since it's been awhile, I don't own Naruto! (Shame, too. First ordinance: NO MORE NON-CANON FILLER CRAP!)

ahem.

* * *

Chapter 36: A New Mission

"Sounds like filler to me," Naruto huffed grumpily. Hinata giggled.

"Sounds like someone got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning," Sakura said mischievously.

"I think you mean, _sounded_, Sakura-chan. And _literally,_" Haku corrected, also grinning.

Naruto glared at them. The previous evening had passed without incident, with the shinobi and kunoichi dividing up the ample living space in Naruto's home at his insistence. They all went to bed in their rooms and didn't get up until the next morning when…

* * *

"_Yaaaaaawwwwwn," Sakura said sleepily. "What a good night's rest!" she said aloud, getting out of bed and preparing for her morning shower._

_Then:WUMP-WOOMF!_

_And: "AAAAUGH! I can't take this anymore!"_

_Sakura couldn't help herself. Running out of her room, fighting back a laugh, she ran down the hall in the direction of the noise. Throwing open the door to a room, she stepped inside, vaguely aware that Hinata and Sasuke were right behind her._

_Naruto's room had a peculiar arrangement. The bed was set against the wall in one corner, but so that there existed a small space between the long part of the low-lying bed and the wall. Naruto had managed to roll out of bed and into that space, trapping himself._

"_Neh, neh, who is that? Can you help me out of here? Please?" a pathetic Naruto begged to his unseen guest._

_Sakura's pent-up laughter exploded, drawing the rest of her new living companions into the room, and before long, Naruto found himself wishing for the first time to be anywhere else but in Hinata's presence…_

* * *

Naruto returned his gaze to Tsunade, still glaring. "Why do the escorts need escorts, anyways? Isn't protecting the Grass citizens _their _responsibility?"

Again, Sasuke and Sakura were appalled at Naruto's lack of respect for authority, though in Sakura's mind she figured she should've been used to it by now. Tsunade, however, was more than adequate for the challenge.

"All the high-ranking missions have been assigned to the rest of the jounin and ANBU; unless you want a, Kami-sama forbid, a C-class mission?" When Naruto huffed and looked away, she continued, pressing her advantage. "I want some extra protection, that's all. Besides, its not for the Grass ninja," Tsunade added. Naruto looked up, confused. Tsunade sighed.

"Look Naruto, you and your team are the most powerful force in the world right now, if I'm not mistaken. Well, you're mission is not just to keep an eye out on the Grass, it's to protect the Konoha ninja I'm sending. Understand?" Tsunade said sternly. "Our ninja are going to be escorting a bunch of ninja with whom we have never had very good relations with. I'm trying to change that, since their Kage was recently killed and their government and village is completely wrecked. Our ninja will help them out with _their_ reconstruction, and they'll be grateful. Their military is completely demolished as well, so this is a perfect opportunity to turn over a new leaf."

"Pun intended," Haku snorted, before he could stop himself. Tsunade glared at him, but he only whistled. Sighing, she continued.

"Naruto, please just take it. I'm at my wits end getting this village back up and running, and I-" she started again, but stopped when she saw Naruto was smiling.

"Of course I'll take it, baa-chan. I was just messing around like we usually do. And we'll do our best; that's a promise!" he said confidently. Tsunade smiled.

"That's good to hear, Naruto. Now, any minute the ninja that will be accompanying Grass directly will be here…" she began, then stopped when a knock came from the door. "Come it!" she barked, and the door swung open.

Across the threshold stepped very welcoming faces.

"Shikamaru! And Chouji and Ino, and Lee! Damn, where've you guys been!" Naruto yelled loudly. Shikamaru sighed while his teammates chuckled and Lee mumbled something about youth.

"Working, just like you and the rest of Konoha," Shikamaru grumbled, then he smiled. "It's good to see that we'll have some more friends on this trip."

Sakura nodded. "It'll be good to catch up again after all this time. What with the war and everything we really haven't had much time to do so since Naruto came back!" she exclaimed.

Ino grinned. "There was time, you were just too busy swooning over the new-and-improved Naruto to care, Forehead-Girl," she teased mercilessly. Naruto blushed, but Sakura flew into a rage and began to trade insults with Ino.

Naruto was thinking how to ease the tension when Sasuke nudged him in the side. "Yeah?" Naruto asked.

"How serious was Sakura about you?" he asked bluntly and quietly. Naruto looked puzzled.

"I thought you told me you guys talked about that?" he asked, surprised. Sasuke looked uncomfortable.

"More like Sakura mentioned it in passing. I never really thought it was a big deal; am I right?" he asked again. Naruto nodded.

"Yeah. I set her straight about how I felt about her. I'm not sure _why_ she decided to try for me, I never really asked. I guess I just assumed one of a few possible reasons was the one, but I never bothered to find out," Naruto said thoughtfully as he watched Lee attempt to pull apart the two furious kunoichi. Then he grinned. "Y'know, you don't have to worry about any competition; you never did. Just go for it, ni-san!" he said, elbowing Sasuke in the ribs. He glared at Naruto, but didn't deny anything Naruto had said.

Naruto grinned and noticed that they had some new arrivals. "Hey, Shino. You get settled back into your compound?" he asked by way of greeting. Shino simply nodded.

"Yes, the Aburame is settled. However, it was a little strained working right next to the Inuzuka, as you can imagine," Shino said sadly. Naruto nodded, not wanting to remember Kiba's corpse from that fateful attack not too long ago.

"So if we could get down to business," she reminded them, trying to steer them away from any emotional obstacles, and they all came to attention while she briefed them on the route and other specifics.

"Shikamaru will be this mission's leader. Naruto, I would like you and your team to follow his orders, is that clear?" she asked. Naruto nodded.

"Fine then. Dismissed!" she ordered. They turned to leave en masse, but before they could Tsunade remembered something.

"Kira, if you could wait a moment?" she asked. Kira turned around and nodded, motioning for her teammates to go on. She shut the door behind them and turned to face the Hokage.

"Yes, Hokage-sama?" she asked hesitantly. Tsunade smiled.

"Don't be so nervous; after wall, we're to be working together for most of your stay here. That's what I wanted to talk to you about. Your team's part in the mission should only take a week, but that's still a week where you won't be available for consultation on _this_," she explained, pulling out a folder marked "Konohagakure-Iwagakure". Realization dawned on Kira's face.

"Oh, right!" she exclaimed, having forgotten about her underlying mission while in Konoha and the excitement. "Do you want to get started now, while we still have time?" she asked. Tsunade nodded.

"Your mission begins tomorrow, so we don't have much of that. There are a few questions I want to ask. For starters, why don't you tell me about the current Tsuchikage? I don't know much about him," she added. Kira smiled and began to talk.

* * *

"Man, I'm hungry!" Naruto said. Hinata sighed.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I give you: my boyfriend and his bottomless pit-for-a-stomach," she said dryly, grinning when the group exploded into laughter at the dumbfounded look on the Hokage-to-be's face. He recovered magnificently and whistled.

"Damn Hinata-chan, that was harsh," he said approvingly. She smiled sweetly and pecked him on the cheek.

"You know I don't _completely_ mean that," she said coyly. He groaned and pushed her away.

"Whatever; whaddya say we all hit Ichiraku's before we get ready for the mission?" he tossed out to the group. They all nodded.

"Sounds good to me," Chouji replied, trying and failing to keep the excitement out of his voice at the prospect of the delicious ramen. Ino groaned.

"Chouji, you can't get sick before a mission," she said sternly as they turned down the street towards the ramen stand. Chouji mock-groaned, and they shared another laugh.

Soon they had arrived at the ramen stand.

"Hey ji-san, gimme thirty bowls of miso STAT!" Naruto commanded imperiously.

"May the Shinigami take me now," the old man lamented as he began to cook the noodles. He turned to Naruto with a grin, taking in the crowd. "Just like you to be drawn here like a kunai to a target, gaki." He spotted Chouji and sighed. "It's gonna be a busy day. I haven't had a day where an Akimichi and an Uzumaki ate here in the same day for years," he said over his shoulder as he cooked.

"Naruto-kun! It's good to see you again!" Ayame said happily. The pretty daughter of the ramen chef examined the crowd. "And what will your orders be?" she asked kindly.

"Chicken ramen for me please," Sakura said.

"The same," Ino added.

"We'll have beef," Sasuke, Lee, Shikamaru, and Chouji said. Ayame took it all down and began to cook as well.

"So, Naruto," Shikamaru said once they had all settled onto their stools. "I believe you have some news you'd like to share with us?" he asked pointedly. Naruto grinned.

"What, you mean about me being named the Rokudaime Hokage of Konoha? What's so great about that?" he asked nonchalantly, but he failed miserably in keeping a large smile from breaking out over his whiskered visage.

"Oh Kami-sama, that's wonderful Naruto!" Ino said happily. Chouji nodded.

"Congratulations, you definitely deserve it!" the large ninja added with a thumbs-up and a grin.

"Yosh! And Naruto has proven once again that the fires of youth will prevail!" Lee shouted predictably.

"So when will you be installed?" Shino asked suddenly. Naruto looked up thoughtfully as the grizzled ramen chef served their steaming bowls of noodles.

"They say there's going to be an official announcement about the decision a couple weeks from now. That's when the Godaime will spill all those details," he interjected as he served the kunoichi their chicken ramen.

Naruto looked at him with something akin to incredulity. "Ji-san, how the hell did you find that out?" he asked with disbelief. The old man winked at him and simply turned back to his noodles. Naruto grumbled, but couldn't keep a grin off his face as he broke apart some chopsticks.

"Itadakimasu!" he offered as he began to eat, nay, shovel the noodles into his mouth. Before two minutes had passed the bowl was devoid of food and another was being placed in front of him. Chouji wasn't far behind.

"I just can't believe you're going to be Hokage, Naruto! I mean, I'm not saying I didn't think you could do it, I'm just finding it so weird that it's actually happening right now!" Ino exclaimed as she played with her bowl. Naruto nodded.

"I know what you're saying. All my life I've wanted to be acknowledged by this village. At first it was great to meet you guys and earn your friendship and trust, and I practically lived off of that for years. Now this…" he said, trailing off.

Hinata leaned her head on his shoulder, seated next to him at the bar. "It's not like you haven't worked hard for it or aren't qualified," she said comfortingly. Naruto smiled at her cute expression, but then stared at his ramen.

"Yeah, but there's so much more to being Hokage than being the strongest ninja in the village; Ero-sennin told me a lot about being Hokage. He said there's more to it than assigning missions and doing paperwork. You have to make decisions that affect the whole village, like food, resources, politics, and all sorts of stuff. To tell you guys the truth, I'm a little nervous about the whole thing now that it's finally in front of me," he confessed. "It's a lot responsibility."

"But I can't think of anyone I'd rather have protecting me than you, Naruto," a voice said proudly. A hand pulled back the curtain in front of the ramen stand. "I was going to treat you to ramen, but it seems you've gone and started without me!" Iruka said with a grin as he stepped into the crowded bar.

"Iruka-sensei!" Naruto said happily, standing up from his ramen. He clasped arms with the older ninja, noticing that something was different about him. "Neh, is that a jounin vest Iruka-sensei? Congratulations!" he said happily as he sat back at the bar.

"Thanks; I couldn't let you get too far ahead of me after all," he said grumpily as Ayame took his order. He turned to his former students. "So you're all heading out on a mission soon, I hear."

"Tomorrow," Sakura clarified with a swallow of noodlely goodness. "For a week."

"Well good luck! Classes are resuming in the Academy buildings again, so I'll be busy with them at least," Iruka added as he broke some chopsticks.

The jounin at the ramen counter shared a collective moment of nostalgia as they remembered their Academy days, though Naruto's was less than positive. Without further ado, and some small talk, the meal was done and Naruto's team waved goodbye to their friends. Returning to Naruto's spacious abode, they found Kira waiting for them at the front door, a sheepish expression on her face.

"Hey guys; what's up?" she asked innocently. Naruto groaned for what seemed to be the millionth time that day.

"Oh jeez; how long have you been waiting here, Kira-chan?" he asked worriedly. Kira shook her head.

"Almost three hours," she said sadly. But when Naruto looked like he'd just been told someone died, she brightened. "Actually, I just got here!" she said brightly, and Naruto wondered why no one would give him a break.

"I'll work on getting some form of entry for all of you," he said tiredly as he unlocked and opened the door, letting everyone in and running through seals in his mind that could be used to seal up a building except for a few select individuals.

* * *

When they gathered in the kitchen the following morning, gear in hand and on back, they were shocked to find Naruto there and a heavenly smell wafting from the table where six places were prepared with eggs, bacon, and golden-brown toast.

"Dobe cooking?" Sasuke asked confusedly. Sakura shook her head.

"Wake up, Sleepy," she quipped. Naruto glared good-naturedly at Sasuke and jabbed his finger at the table as he walked to it, kneeling down in front of it and tucking into his breakfast.

"This looks delicious! Thanks, Naruto-kun!" Kira said pointedly as they sat down.

"I dunno; I just think that if we're all gonna sleep here and stuff we might as well eat together, y'know?" Naruto said awkwardly.

"I think that it's the little things like this that make a good Kage," Haku said suddenly. "If you think about it, if a Kage can't take care of his friends, how could be possibly take care of a village?"

Everyone stared at Haku, looks of amazement on their faces except for Kira, who glared. "Are you joking?" she accused. Haku shook his head.

"I know when to get my act together, love," he said with a wink, at which point Kira went "Ugh!" and made a deal of staring at her food as she ate it.

When they were all finished, Naruto rose to stand on his knees and grinned cockily. He made the hare, and then the dragon seal and placed his palms on the table.

"Cleaning no jutsu!" he said proudly, and with a flash the table was spotless. "Just reset the places," Naruto tossed over his shoulder as he went to where Makai was leaning on a counter and strapped it to his back, along with his backpack.

"I know we've been dealing with the new and improved Naruto for awhile now, so why is it still so unnerving?" Sakura asked Hinata in an undertone as they followed their team leader out to the town gate. Hinata shrugged, but she was smiling.

"He _is_ Konoha's number one unpredictable ninja," she said helplessly. Sakura shook her head in wonder. _But what if this keeps up? Or does it mean that something horrible is going to happen soon?_

Sakura shook her head. After all, contemplating the end of the world never helped anyone.

"Ah, so everyone's here. Gather 'round, and I'll outline the formation we'll be using, and then we'll go meet up with the caravan to Grass," Shikamaru said, motioning everyone over. Ino and Chouji were already next to him, as was Shino. Lee, however, was curiously absent.

"Hey, where's Lee?" Naruto asked as he and his team walked over. Shikamaru shrugged.

"It's troublesome, but he's got to do some special training with Tsunade-sama to increase his strength, ridiculous as it is. She wants to make use of every jounin we have in solo and paired to trio missions, and she needs Lee to have more than just the gates up his green-spandex sleeves. Since he's already adept at using chakra for taijutsu, she thinks he'll take to hers and Sakura's technique well," Shikamaru explained to blank faces. He shifted uncomfortably. "What?"

"She told you all that?" Sakura asked. Shikamaru shook his head. "Nah, but it's obvious, right?" When no one nodded, he groaned and began to outline their formation around and in the caravan; Chouji swore he muttered 'troublesome'.

"And that's that; any questions?" Shikamaru said as he finished his briefing. When again he received no objections, he shrugged. "Well, let's get this over with."

But as they set out, Hinata couldn't help but feel that this mission would not end well.

_Something's gonna screw this up_, she thought worriedly. But as she took stock of her powerful friends and remembered what she herself could do, she shrugged. _Well, let it come then._

* * *

Far away, in that thriving village that was more like a western city named Seattle, where the rain fell almost all the time and metal glistened wherever the villagers looked, a red-eyed man nodded to himself.

"And the scout reports that the team will leave for Grass soon," the aide added. The red-eyed man paused, then turned around.

"Let them know we're here. Send squads 3 and 7 out to harass the caravan. Instruct them that they are to kill at least a fifth of the Grass and as many of the Konoha ninja as they can. Tell them that they are free to retreat whenever they feel it is necessary," the red-eyed man instructed. The aide nodded and hurried out of the room. The red-eyed man resumed his perusal of the 'village' with a grin.

_Soon._

* * *

And that's that! Hope you enjoyed it! Tell me whatcha think.

More chapters coming veyr soon! As in, probably later todays! Ja!


	37. No Rest for the Weary

Well, you've made it this far; glad you're still reading!

To reiterate, I don't own Naruto, but this _is_ an AU fic. This story mine, punk! Enjoy readin'!

Onto the next chapter!

* * *

Chapter 37 – No Rest for the Weary

"This is boring!" Haku complained as they trudged alongside the Grass citizens along the dirt road.

"Hush!" Kira scolded. "This is part of the mission, now zip it!"

Haku returned her admonishment with a scowl. "Yeah, well before I came to Konoha I didn't have any cruddy missions like this one. With my old sensei I went on exciting missions all the time!" he protested, even though his words sounded hollow even to him. Working for Zabuza as an emotionless tool hadn't exactly left much room for excitement.

"Go easy on Haku, Kira-chan," Naruto remarked as he walked alongside some Grass civilians. "All he's ever known of village life is the work he's done in rebuilding Konoha, so let him make his judgments. He's yet to see just how good it is," he teased, and Kira giggled. Haku huffed.

"I can see you're all determined to make fun of my inexperience. Well, that's fine with me; I'll just talk with the much-friendlier Grass ninja," Haku said, only half-full of indignation.

Then he turned beet-red as Kira pecked him on the cheek and skipped away. "Lighten up, Haku-kun!" she tossed over her shoulder as she went to check on another portion of the caravan.

"I never know what she's thinking," Haku said aloud. Naruto kept quiet, not wanting to interfere in his friends' relationship. Best to let them figure it out for themselves.

He took a scope of their current situation with a little pride. The caravan stretched for almost half a mile, a testament to the Grass' ability to survive a catastrophe like Akatsuki's decimation of their village. The escorts under Shikamaru's command were spread out over that distance in a rather effective manner. Hinata and Shino were positioned a small ways from the back and front of the caravan, respectively, to maximize their scouting abilities. Naruto, Kira, and Haku were spread about the caravan in order to spread out their strength; Sakura and Ino were positioned in the center of the caravan, able to reach anyone needing medical attention anywhere on the caravan. Sasuke and Chouji were happily acting as their personal protectorates, while Shikamaru personally escorted the jounin-oyabun1 (acting leader of jounin rank). They were, at the moment conversing amicably about this and that (mostly that, with only a smattering of this mentioned her and there).

"Ano, Naruto-kun," a voice said by his elbow. Naruto turned to see Hinata.

"Hinata-chan! What are you doing here?" Naruto asked her, surprised. Though he really shouldn't have been, since their positions were both near the rear.

"I… I can't shake this feeling that something bad is going to happen," Hinata whispered.

Naruto shook his head. "Hinata-chan, there is nothing to worry about. Aside from bandits picking off _way_ more than they can chew, there isn't much that can threaten this caravan here. I mean, look! Orochimaru and Otogakure have been destroyed, and Akatsuki has been annihilated."

Hinata shook her head in response. "I know, I know! I keep telling myself that, but I…" she looked away, even though with her Byakugan activated at Shikamaru's request she could see in all directions. "I just can't…"

Naruto stopped his mindless march alongside the caravan and pulled Hinata off to the side. Without giving her any warning other than his movements, he pulled her into a deep kiss, catching her completely off-guard with no more than an "Eeep!"

After a few moments, he pulled away. "There! Now if something bad happens, you'll have this moment to look back on!" Naruto said happily. Hinata glared at him, but her sheepish smile destroyed all its menacing intent.

"I get it…" she grumbled. But before Naruto could turn to leave, she grabbed him from behind and held him close.

"I just don't want to leave anything unfinished," she said into his back.

When she let go, Naruto turned over his shoulder and said, with a lewd wink, "Neither do I!" he replied as he hurried back to the caravan.

_Damn him, how does he do that!_ Hinata cursed in her mind mentally as she felt the blush creep majestically back onto her face. _He always says exactly what sets me off!_ She raged mentally as she caught up to the caravan….

* * *

Time passes very slowly for a shinobi or a kunoichi during long stretches of inactivity or, rather, during long stretches of not changing what one is doing. In this case, walking.

"Alright, pass the word down that the caravan will be stopping here for the evening and that we'll reach the Grass border tomorrow; you'll all be home in a couple days, at which point we will assist you in the beginning of your village's reconstruction," Shikamaru said, somehow sounding more bored than usual. The jounin-oyabun nodded and began to walk the length of the caravan, spreading the news of the rest.

"Tch! Finally! My legs are aching!" Ino said happily with a yawn, stretching in a very catlike manner. Chouji chuckled helplessly.

"You're a kunoichi, shouldn't you be used to all this? After all, Asuma-sensei used to drill us like this all the time after those chuunin exams, remember?" Chouji admonished. Ino laughed.

"Yeah, yeah! I'm probably just glad for a change of pace!" she replied. Then she smacked her forehead. "Augh, no pun intended!" she said in mock distress. Sakura laughed.

"Of course not, Ino! Being witty on purpose would be too out-of-character for you!" Sakura said with a wink. Sasuke groaned and motioned to Chouji, and the two shinobi wisely gave the girls a wide berth. As they walked over to where Shikamaru was standing, the first sounds of the verbal sparring had already begun.

"Okay, we'll be at the border soon. Naruto, you look like you've got something to say," Shikamaru said as Sakura, Sasuke, Hinata, Kira, Haku, and Naruto approached.

"Since my team is here to protect this caravan, I'd like to get going with some precautions," Naruto asked Shikamaru. He nodded, pointing at Naruto and Sakura.

"Naruto, I know what you're gonna do, just don't exhaust yourself. Sakura, you go with him and keep an eye on him; you know how he can get."

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean! Hey!" Naruto protested in vain as Sakura dragged him a ways into the perimeter of the caravan's site.

After a bit Sakura relented and allowed Naruto to take the lead. He led Sakura away until they were about twenty-five meters away from the main part of the caravan, then motioned Sakura over.

"Check this out, Sakura-chan," he said confidentially. She looked on with a trained eye at the seals Naruto's Shirugan began to write on various trees in a makeshift circle. He walked as he scribed various traps and snares for any unsuspecting intruders. When they arrived at the place Naruto began, he retraced his steps, this time over-scribing another set of seals at an interval.

"What's that for, Naruto-kun?" Sakura asked curiously. Naruto grinned.

"I'm setting the traps to only go off if broken from outside the circle. Also, they'll destroy themselves after the caravan leaves in the morning! I don't want anyone setting these off by accident for no reason after we're gone," Naruto explained. Sakura smiled.

"That's a pretty good idea, Naruto-kun," Sakura said with a sad smile. Naruto finished his work and turned to face her, breathing a little heavier than usual.

"What's… wrong, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked, catching his breath. Sakura gasped.

"Naruto, your eyes! They're… they're red! What's wrong with your Shirugan?" Sakura asked worriedly. Naruto cursed and looked away, slightly ashamed.

"I was hoping to keep this a secret for now, but I guess it's okay to tell my nee-chan. My chakra is becoming the Kyuubi's demonic chakra. This process is irreversible as a result of my body absorbing the Kyuubi. For a brief few moments, I actually had long, messed-up hair and a freakin' tail!" Naruto said hurriedly, scratching the back of his head.

Sakura frowned. "Naruto, what are you really afraid of?" Naruto sighed. He seemed a loss for words, but then he steeled himself.

"I know it seems stupid, but I'm kinda afraid of what everyone would think! Sakura, when I looked in a mirror, I scared myself. And I'm not sure whether it'll happen again," Naruto said, now speaking to his feet. Sakura smiled and gently cupped his face to bring his eyes to meet hers.

"You're so different from the you you were those years ago," she said simply with a smile. Naruto began to protest, then shut his mouth when he realized what she was getting at.

Grinning right back at her, he replied, "I dunno what you're talking about, Sakura-nee-chan! I'm just as handsome as ever!" he cackled gleefully as Sakura's face reddened.

"That's not what I meant! Baka!" Sakura howled and chased after Naruto, who was already running back to the caravan. Those they happened to pass on their merry way could only pray for the hapless Hokage-to-be.

"The tents are set up over there for us. Girls in there, guys in there, any messing around and I'll use a shadow jutsu to do things to you that not even Orochimaru dreamed about," Shikamaru drawled as he indicated the large tents.

"You're just jealous!" Haku yelled. Kira jabbed him in the side.

"Actually, he's not. I hear he's been corresponding with that Suna kunoichi; what's her name?" Chouji chuckled at the flustered look on his usually-in-control friend.

"Aww, that's so cute! Shikamaru has a crush!" Ino giggled. Their esteemed jounin commander, not wanting to lose face in front of the people he had to work with for the next few months, snapped.

"Alright, everyone get some rest, that's an order!" Shikamaru bellowed, exhaling with relief when they all laughed and exchanged their good-night's with him and the others.

"Yes sir!" Haku said, snapping a salute and ending in a mocking wave. Kira again gave him a "love tap", then kissed him on the cheek and dashed into the girl's tent. With a grumble, Haku followed the rest of the boys into their tent. As it was a rather boring, and thus tiring, day, the shinobi of Konoha promptly crawled into their sleeping bags and fell soundly asleep, or made valiant efforts to.

Naruto lay awake, calmly sitting in a meditative pose. Unable to sleep, he had deactivated his Shirugan and extended his senses around the caravan, keeping tabs on the various familiar chakra signatures in an attempt to tire himself out.

He started when one chakra signature in particular separated itself from the rest of them and moved a ways before stopping. Moving carefully so as to not disturb the snoring Haku or the restless Sasuke, he exited the guys' tent and moved towards the chakra signature.

Hinata shivered in the cold, then suddenly stilled as a warm blanket was draped over her form from behind. Bereft of her dark blue jacket which usually concealed the equipment strapped about her mature form, she was grateful for the extra layer, even more so when she saw who had delivered it to her.

Naruto smiled and placed a finger over his lips as he drew his love to him, clasping his hands around her waste. She sighed and leaned into him.

"Can't sleep?" Naruto asked gently as he rocked her side-to-side.

"Right back atcha," Hinata replied just as softly, relishing the contact between them. Ever since the destruction of Konoha, intimate moments were few and far between, and Hinata wondered what it would be like for them when Naruto was finally instated as the Rokudaime, blushing at the thought of them still together at that time.

"_I_ was contemplating the near future. What's your excuse?" Naruto asked playfully as he squeezed Hinata gently. Kami-sama, but she was soft. He felt her tense, but he wasn't sure whether it was from the pressure or the question.

"I… had a nightmare," Hinata confessed after a time. Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"It wasn't about something bad happening on this mission, was it?" he asked worriedly. He felt rather than saw her shake her head.

"It was… well, you were in it," she began. Naruto said nothing, waiting for her to continue.

"It was strange, because it started out okay. It was just the two of us back in Konoha, and it was dark, and we were walking down the street. I'm not sure what exactly happened next, but you started acting like a real jerk, but I don't remember what you said. Then you beat some guy up for no reason at all, saying something about him insulting you because you were the Kyuubi or something. I think I woke up then, but I'm not sure," Hinata said haltingly, as one does when relating a dream recently had.

Naruto was quiet for a moment. Then: "Why was I so… out of character?" he said, trying to inflect his voice with humor to show that he wasn't really serious, but instead found that he couldn't.

"I don't know! It was weird, and I didn't like it," Hinata replied defensively. She felt Naruto let go of her, and she turned to face him. "What's wrong?" she asked. He looked her in the eye and turned around.

"… Why did you dream about me like that? Is that how you see me acting at some time?" Naruto asked. He sounded confused.

Hinata wasn't pleased. "What do you mean, 'is that how I think of you?' It was a dream, Naruto-kun. It doesn't mean anything," she tried to explain.

Naruto turned back to face her. He wasn't smiling. "Well, it had to come from somewhere, right?"

Seeing where he was going with this, Hinata grabbed his shoulders firmly. "Naruto-kun, drop it. I know what you're implying, and frankly I think it's stupid. Why would you think that I would see you like that?" she asked angrily. Naruto pushed her arms away.

"I don't know! It was _your_ dream!" he shot back. Hinata recoiled, stunned. She shook her head.

"Naruto-kun, what's wrong with you? Why are you acting like this, we've never had a problem like this before!" she asked. Naruto shrugged and ignored the question.

"Dammit, Naruto-kun, answer me! This is our _relationship_ we're talking about!" Hinata yelled angrily, forgetting that the entire caravan was asleep and yanking Naruto around to face her again. As he opened his mouth, a glare forming around his unconsciously-activated Shirugan, Hinata was spared the embarrassment of accidentally waking up the entire caravan by a very large and obnoxious noise.

The explosion rocked the ground they stood on. Hinata, in her anger, refused to reach out to Naruto to steady herself and held her ground. When the shaking died down, she glared at Naruto, activating her Byakugan. "Naruto-kun, what the hell did you surround us with?" she demanded.

But Naruto had gone ashen-faced and was looking in the direction of the explosion. He stood rock-still for a millisecond, then exploded with motion, running towards the disturbance.

"Everyone, get the hell out of bed and get your asses out here, the caravan's under attack! MOVE IT!" Naruto bellowed. Hinata gasped and focused on her enhanced vision, seeing what could shake Naruto up so badly. A large lump of chakra systems clogged her sight along with the leftover chakra strands from Naruto's seals.

"Shit!" she cursed, rushing after Naruto and falling in behind his left flank, watching as he gathered his permanently demonic chakra.

"**Kage Bunshin no jutsu!**" he commanded, and a small army of clones poofed into existence and began to perform various techniques. Blasts of air and in some cases demonic flashes of chakra hurtled through the air at the incoming intruders. Naruto himself drew forth Makai from its sheath and ducked under a kunai, slicing off the arm that held it at the elbow and silencing the man's ensuing scream with a swift return slash. The shadowy figure fell backwards, but before he hit the ground Naruto had already slain another attacker with a thrust to the heart.

By this time, Hinata had several kills to herself, ducking and weaving with the lithe and deadly grace of her dance of death. Her gentle palms acted as though given minds of their own, and enhanced with her own wind chakra, her opponents usually only took one hit before collapsing, dead before hitting the ground.

Naruto finished off another ninja and straightened, taking advantage of the split-second lull in the fight to take in the situation. It proved to be unnecessary to do so, however, as the ground shook again as consecutive explosions rocked the forest once more.

"Shikamaru! What the hell is going on?" Naruto shouted as he ducked underneath another brace of kunai. The shadow-user caught them and formed the ram seal. Someone Naruto couldn't see screamed, the sound accompanied by a squelch of splattered blood.

"A very large group of ninja have attacked the caravan," he answered, hurling the kunai away into the night, resulting in another yelp accompanied by the sounds of merciless, bloody death.

A light appeared in the distance, which revealed its source to be a fire. Screams of panic soon accompanied the blaze and Shikamaru cursed, turning to return to the caravan.

"And they've set fire to the caravan. Finish them off here, Naruto! The rest of your team is earning their own reputation on the other side of the caravan," Shikamaru relayed to Naruto, who nodded his thanks and turned to meet the latest opponents. In the light of the blaze, he caught sight of something interesting: a hitai with strange dot marks on them.

_That isn't any village's insignia that I recognize,_ Naruto thought as he parried an attack with Makai, returning in kind. Finally, he was attacked by who he could only assume was one of the heads of the his raid. The man drew forth a set of shuriken and flung them. Spinning Makai in a circle, the stars were deflected. However, their purpose had been fulfilled.

"**Suiton: Surryuendan no jutsu!**" the man called, and Naruto whipped through a seal set of his own as the water dragon hurtled towards him.

"**Tenma no jutsu: Cloak of the Kyuubi!**" Naruto shouted. As he felt the jutsu take effect, he ignored the chakra-filled water dragon and flung a strange kunai into the air in front of him.

The dragon crashed around him, leaving him unharmed. He smiled, Shirugan gleaming in the torrent of chakra, and he activated the seal he had scribed onto the kunai.

The leader of the attack blanched when he saw his blonde opponent had disappeared. _Did I get him? Or did he dodge it?_ he wondered.

Then he ceased to wonder as he felt cold metal press itself against his neck.

"Who are you? You've completely obliterated half of my squad, and it's obvious I'm no match for you," the man breathed.

"I'm asking the questions here. Who are _you_, and why did you attack this caravan?" Naruto demanded, pressing Makai into the man's neck enough to draw blood.

The man grinned. "I am a shinobi of Amegakure, and your days are numbered, Uzumaki Naruto of Konohagakure," the man breathed, throwing his head forward before Naruto could stop him. His head was severed from his shoulders, and he fell to the ground with a splat. Naruto cursed and flicked the blood off Makai before sheathing it. Glancing around with the Shirugan revealed the immediate area to be secure of any other ninja, so Naruto began to make his way back to the caravan, where the blaze still burned brightly.

* * *

"Kuso! Who are these guys?" Haku cursed, ducking under a punch and darting inside his opponents guard with the speed of his bijuu's chakra aiding him. He rammed his extended fingers into the young woman's solar plexus, and he felt her cough up blood on his back as she slumped forward. Pivoting on his extended foot, Haku spun away to greet his next attacker, blocking the man's kick. He was unable to react, however, as the man pressed his attack with a flurry of strikes. One caught Haku on the shoulder, to his surprise, but he used the momentum to spin away and flick through some seals. Needles of ice appeared in the air and flung themselves at the man, who screamed and then made no more sound.

Around him the battle raged. The fires had spread along the caravan, lighting the darkness with a sickly glow.

Haku was caught off-guard in his brief musings with a kunai pressed up against his neck, which disappeared as suddenly as it appeared. The offender had his arm with the kunai at the end of it twisted around his back. Sharingan stared mercilessly as Sasuke twisted, breaking the man's wrist and taking the kunai, only to stick it in his heart.

Neither Haku nor Sasuke was within ten meters of the man before he hit the ground, already supporting their comrades in their struggles.

* * *

And the battle raged.

Naruto's arrival at the main part of the caravan was punctuated with the sharp smell of burnt everything. His teammates gathered around him, and he mentally took in their conditions. No one was seriously injured except for Sasuke, who was sporting a rather large cut on his arm which Sakura was already tending to. Naruto caught Sasuke's eye and indicated the wound with a raised eyebrow. Sasuke looked away, and Naruto was sure he heard him mutter, "Lucky hit," but couldn't be sure. Then he stiffened.

"Where's Hinata-chan?" he asked urgently. Everyone looked around. Then Kira gasped.

"Hinata-chan!" she shouted. Naruto followed her gaze to see Hinata leaning against a tree on one hand, her other arm curled around her side.

"Hinata-chan!" Naruto echoed, rushing to her side. She met his impending gaze with empty eyes, collapsing. Naruto caught her and gently laid her on the ground.

"I ran into… one of the commanders of the squad… at least a jounin… killed him… so strong…" Hinata said weakly.

"Shshshsh! Save your strength, Hinata-chan," Sakura said urgently. Naruto cursed himself for being too lax, having not even noticed Sakura's approach. She nudged Naruto in the side.

"Help Shikamaru re-establish some sense of order around here, a lot of Grass were killed in the fires," Sakura said in an undertone. Naruto nodded and left Hinata's side very unwillingly.

"What's the situation?" Naruto asked Shikamaru when he found him directing some of the improv-fire-fighters.

Shikamaru sighed. "I don't know what you did to protect this encampment, but this enemy literally ripped your traps apart. They lost some men doing so, but after the holes were made past the three lines you made they simply charged right in. None of our ninja died in the fighting, but we're still not sure how many Grass ninja and civilians were killed. What did you learn?" he asked as Naruto took in the information.

"Kuso…" he said softly, looking to where some Grass ninja were laying out some of their casualties. He turned back to Shikamaru. "The attack came from a village called Amegakure, but right after this guy told me he cut his own head off on my katana." Naruto scowled. "Amegakure was the village that Pain from Akatsuki was operating from," he added darkly, "but it's too early to make any connections. He also knew my name, but pretended he didn't until I killed him."

"Interesting," Shikamaru said quietly, running a hand through his black hair. "Well, there's no use talking about it now. Have your team assist with this cleanup, after which we'll try to get back to sleep, though I doubt that'll really happen. If you could reset the traps, I'd be grateful; at least we'll have the warning if another suicidal enemy walks in," Shikamaru ordered.

Naruto nodded and ran back to his team, which had gathered around Hinata.

"How is she?" Naruto asked when he reached them. Sasuke and Haku stepped aside to allow Naruto access to his girlfriend. She looked better, but was still much paler than usual.

"Hina-chan," Naruto said without thinking, bringing a hand forth to cup her cheek. Her closed eyes opened to meet Naruto's Shirugan.

"That argument… seems pretty stupid now… doesn't it?" she asked with a weak grin. Naruto smiled, eyes watering, and leaned in to kiss her cheek.

"Yeah. Get some rest, Hinata-chan. You did great, getting rid of their commander. We'll talk tomorrow, I promise," Naruto said softly. He leaned in again to bring his mouth to her ear. "I love you; don't forget that," he whispered.

Hinata closed her eyes with a smile. _I know…_ she mouthed back, falling into blissful unconsciousness.

"I'll bring her into our tent," Kira offered.

"Thanks, Kira-chan. Take care of her for me?" he pleaded. Kira smiled as she picked Hinata up.

"Duh," she tossed over her shoulder as she entered the girl's tent.

"Alright everyone, get to work. The faster this mess goes away, the faster we all get back to sleep," Naruto ordered, paraphrasing Shikamaru's orders. "Sasuke, you're with me."

As Naruto led him away into the forest, Sasuke voiced a concern.

"Naruto, what does this all mean?" Sasuke asked his brother quietly. Naruto shook his head.

"Figures a member of Team 7 would go straight to the underneath beneath the underneath," Naruto replied. Sasuke nodded, meeting Naruto's gaze expectantly.

Naruto sighed as he began to write seals onto the still-standing trees with the Shirugan. "Frankly, I have no idea. I've never even heard of Amegakure, and the only people who can tell us are either dead or back in Konoha," he answered unhappily.

Sasuke nodded, scanning the forest with his Sharingan. "Definitely a problem. Oh, and Naruto?"

Naruto turned to face his brother. "Yah?"

Sasuke smiled. "Don't worry about Hinata; she'll be fine in the morning. Sakura-chan patched her up pretty well."

Naruto smiled tiredly. "Thanks, Sasuke. Now lemme finish this, I'm tired as hell."

* * *

The red-eyed man smiled as he watched the city of Amegakure bustle and thrive beneath his gaze. He knew that the two squads, despite their size, would not stand a chance against the powerful Konoha ninja. Yes, many Grass ninja would be killed, perhaps one or two Konoha ninja too, but in all likelihood the squads would be annihilated by Uzumaki Naruto and his personal team of jounin.

_But the point isn't to kill you, little Konoha ninja. That isn't the point at all,_ the man thought calmly. He imagined the scene right now: utter confusion for that caravan, and the culprit elusive in their eyes. Fortunately for Konoha, the red-eyed man was patient and would allow the situation to develop a little before nudging it in another direction again.

"Uzumaki Naruto…" the red-eyed man said to the window.

Far away, the blonde sneezed in his sleep.

* * *

And that's that! Hope y'all enjoyed that little battle. I didn't intend for it to focus on one-on-one combat, so if you thought it lacking, it was, and on purpose. It'll come soon, probably even next chapter, so hang in there. I've always wanted to write a, "Camp gets attacked in the middle of the night and gets set on fire," scene, so that kinda made me happy.

Hope you'll stick around for the next chappie! At least, that's the original send-off, but in reality you have to wait pretty much a couple of hours! Pumpin' them out like...

...

JA!


	38. Realization

So, College rules, life is great, this is the latest in sucker-punch updates, yadda-yadda-yadda, cake, ice cream, and munchies.

And again with the storys!

* * *

Chapter 38 – Realization

Naruto awoke groggily at the crack of dawn, only vaguely aware of the current situation.

That is, until it came crashing down upon his consciousness like a 71-ton anvil. He groaned and buried his face in his hands. His team had been tacked on this caravan for the sole purpose of guarding it, and they had been attacked, resulting in numerous casualties.

_The only plus is that no one from Konoha was seriously hurt; thank Kami-sama for Ino and Sakura-chan,_ he thought as he stretched himself out for the day. Emerging from his tent, he found himself facing a familiar back and a wondrous smell, which he recognized as fried bread.

"Hinata-chan, if that breakfast is for me, you really are an angel descended from…" Naruto began, but stopped as she turned around and met his gaze. Slowly and deliberately, with the most teasing look he had ever seen in her eyes, Hinata held the piece of fried dough that all ninja partook of on the job (as it was fortified with nutrients and vitamins that made even Shikamaru's brain ache to think of all of them) she had wrapped in a cloth up in front her as if presenting it to Naruto. He began to lick his lips hungrily when the bread began to float away.

"No…" he whispered in despair as Hinata, never breaking eye contact with him, brought it closer to her mouth, which began to widen.

She bit into it, now closing her eyes and humming sensually as she made sure that Naruto knew that her tongue was gently tasting every bit of the tasty staple.

To his credit, the Hokage-to-be lasted longer than Hinata had anticipated, but his ensuing reaction was a bit beyond her preparation.

Naruto yelled something that a cow might emit while having its rear wailed on with a rubber mallet and tackled Hinata. Not even considering her blush at the rather naughty mount he had placed on her, Naruto leapt to his feet and, with a disturbingly sincere moan of pleasure, stuffed the remainder of the bread in his mouth, closing his eyes with bliss.

"Ano… maybe I shouldn't have done that…" Hinata mumbled, still in shock from her "good-morning hug."

When Naruto finished, it was as if he had come out of a trance. "Ohayo, Hinata-chan! Why are you sitting on the floor?" Naruto asked, extending a hand to help his girlfriend up.

Hinata decided that if Naruto was going to ignore what had just happened, she would too, also deciding that for now they were even. She accepted his helping hand, only mildly (but pleasantly) surprised when he pulled her in for a quick kiss.

"Did you sleep alright?" he asked sincerely. Hinata checked his eyes, noticing that the silver pupil of his now-activated Shirugan had become slightly slitted, and wondered when that had happened. Filing it into the back of her head, she shrugged.

"Well enough, I suppose." She looked him squarely in the eye. "How are _you_ feeling about all this?" she asked him bluntly.

Darting back and forth, the blonde's Shirugan finally settled back on Hinata's pearl eyes. "I feel like I've failed the mission even though the vast majority of the caravan survived," he said after a while. "We were hired to guard this caravan because we're supposedly the strongest team in Konoha, but I can't help but feel defeated…" he trailed off.

Hinata placed a firm hand on his shoulder. "And…why? We won, didn't we?" she asked.

Naruto sighed. "It's just… Ero-sennin… Jiraiya trained me to be a warrior-shinobi; if anything, I'm actually an assassin because of my stealth, but still. I just feel like I should be suited to handle situations like this, and yet so many died!" he exclaimed. "You know what I feel like, Hinata-chan? I feel like I'm not focusing enough on what makes me the shinobi I am. I think… I think I need to refocus my training. I've been trying to do it all, long-range, mid-range, and short-range, ninjutsu, taijutsu, and the Shirugan isn't helping. As the Hokage I'm gonna have to be able to defend the village swiftly and ruthlessly without hesitation, and I can't be sitting behind my desk wondering which jutsu I should use!"

He took a deep breath, but before he could continue Hinata had kissed him. He blinked, and Hinata closed in for the kill.

"Naruto-kun, you're right, but you don't need to beat yourself up over it, nor should you forget all the jutsu you learned from Jiraiya. Do you want my opinion?" she asked, and to her surprise he nodded mutely. Boldened, she continued. "Before you left with Jiraiya you were the worst genin in our class when it came to chakra control, but you do things with that demonic chakra that now naturally courses through your veins that even Neji, Sakura, and I find extremely difficult; yet, you do it at a moment's notice without even thinking. You've turned your weakness into your greatest strength, so run with it!" she finished.

Naruto stared at her, and then pulled her into a hug. "Thanks, Hinata-chan. You really… you're really something amazing, and I'm… thanks."

Hinata grinned. "It's not a problem. Now let's help Shikamaru-kun before he kills Haku."

Soon, they had arrived at the remnants of Grass, which to their shock were not that horrible.

"With your help, we should be finished with repairs in a few weeks," the jounin-oyabun from Grass said to Shikamaru optimistically. For once, Shikamaru did not reply with sarcasm, pleased that the village was overlooked by Akatsuki when Konoha loomed in the horizon.

Shikamaru turned to Naruto's group. Sasuke and Sakura were whispering quietly, Haku looked bored, Kira looked like she wanted to go home, and Hinata stood beside Naruto quietly with a strangely accepting smile on her pale visage.

"Take care of home, Naruto," Shikamaru said as they clasped forearms. Naruto nodded, then grinned and moved to whisper in Shikamaru's ear.

"Maybe you can Chouji to confess to Ino; he sure looks pretty good these days," Naruto said evilly. Shikamaru, despite himself, nodded.

_Might be fun,_ he reasoned, eyeing his two teammates who were trying to get Shino to say more than two words in a row.

Goodbyes were exchanged, and supplies were given to Naruto's team so they wouldn't have to forage for food on the way back to Konoha.

"So I guess that's it then; don't you think that was a little anticlimactic?" Kira asked Naruto as they began to leap through the trees back to Konoha. Not being waylaid the caravan made the trip a lot quicker; Naruto estimated they would reach Konoha by tomorrow evening.

Naruto shrugged. "We were attacked by the leader of Akatsuki's old village. Frankly, the minute that happened I ceased to give a crap about the caravan, because if someone out there is trying to mess with the whole freakin' world again…." He left his sentence unfinished. "Anyways, for right now we should be focusing on how our team will operate in the future, because we have the potential to take a wide variety of A and S-class missions thanks to our wide variety of skills. But we need to keep our skills meshing and improve our teamwork," Naruto said as he led the team back to Konoha.

Kira's face became downcast as she heard Naruto's words. _It'd be fun to stay with Naruto-kun, Haku-kun, and the others, but… I kind of miss Iwagakure…_ she thought sadly, torn between her friends and her beloved home. _Tsuchikage-sama will need me once the alliance with Konoha is settled, I just know it!_

Haku noticed that Kira looked far from happy. "Cheer up, Kira-chan!" he shouted, black ponytail flapping in the wake of his travel. "You'll improve, I just know it!" he added cheekily.

Kira giggled at Haku's misinterpretation of the source of her pain, but was relieved anyways. _He's right, in a way. I should focus on the present and what I have right now._

However, it was as if Haku's remedy was only temporary, and Kira's concerns were back in force a few moments later; that is, until they decided to set up camp for the night and Hinata began to cook dinner with what supplies they had.

"Oh!" Haku exclaimed suddenly when the heavenly smell wafted into his nose and said, "Hello!" "That smell! Hinata, what is that!" he asked excitedly.

"This is food," Hinata said dryly, indicating the cast-iron bowl with mocking flair. Then she stood up. "And there's no sense in hiding it! I am a master chef!" she said commandingly, thrusting a cooking ladle-filled fist into the air.

Everyone stared. A laugh erupted from Sakura, who reacted by eating her fist, after which only muffled grunts and hiccups could be heard. Sasuke, true to form, cracked not even a grin, but Naruto, who knew the Sharingan user well, could almost hear the laughter that wracked the Uchiha's brain, and was not surprised when the corners of his mouth began to twitch.

Getting up, Naruto walked over to Hinata and placed a hand on her fist, which was still pumped into the air. "Hinata-chan, the food…" he said, as if reminding a child to use the bathroom next time, and the Hyuuga jumped, kneeling down to stir the pot, a faint red tinge gracing her cheeks, which Naruto thought was cute.

Finally, the stew was ready, and they all sat down. About halfway through the meal, Sasuke broke the silence.

"Hinata… this food," he said haltingly. Hinata smiled sweetly at him.

"Yes, Sasuke-kun?" she prompted. He gulped.

"It's… it's really, really good…" he said, as if choking on a tomato, then buried his nose in his stew, eating furiously.

"There, there, now that wasn't so hard, was it? I'll bet it felt kind of good!" Sakura said soothingly as she patted Sasuke's back. A muffled sob erupted from Sasuke's face, but as it was buried in the bowl it emerged as a bubble of broth, which popped, flinging a surprisingly large amount of tasty broth at Sakura.

Her teammates watched in horror as her left eye began to flutter. Naruto inched backward involuntarily, remembering what this signaled – a thrashing, and he thanked Kami-sama that it wasn't him this time, and would be for once Sasuke.

"Sasuke-kun?" Sakura said sweetly. Sasuke pulled his head away from his stew to look at Sakura.

But his vision was obscured, and with a sound SPLAT (pun intended), Sakura's bowl of stew had covered Sasuke's face and began to merrily drip all over his navy-blue garb.

Sasuke blinked slowly, and then extended a finger for them all to see. They all stared at it as Sasuke then brought it to the stew dripping from his nose and dipped it in. He stuck his finger in his mouth and sucked it. Nodding, he scooped some more broth from his head and extended the dripping hand to Naruto, who had finished his stew.

"Want some more stew, Naruto?" Sasuke said with the dignity of a British butler.

His friends lost it, and the campfire erupted with laughter….

* * *

Thanks to the restored camaraderie of the team, it didn't seem to take long at all until Konoha's massive new gate loomed in the horizon. It didn't seem tedious at all to Naruto when they delivered their mission report, and nor were they nervous when Tsunade steeped her hands and regarded them critically after they related the attack on their caravan. Finally:

"I can't say that I'm disappointed, but frankly I'm surprised you suffered so many casualties," Tsunade said. Naruto nodded.

"I was worried too. Frankly, Tsunade-sama, I was concerned as to whether my teammates and I were slacking off, but the attacking numbers were too great. Perhaps I could've summoned more kage bushin earlier… we'll never know, and frankly what is most important is learning from this hitch in an otherwise successful mission." Naruto inhaled after his little speech, unaware of the stares of awe that focused on the blonde and usually loud jounin.

Tsunade grinned. "Half of me wants to check and see if that's really you, Naruto," she said mockingly. Naruto grinned.

"Only half? That makes me want to check and see if you're really the baa-chan, but the Shirugan sees that it is your usual grumpy and slightly intoxicated self, so…" he ducked the hurled projectile and continued to grin cheekily. Hinata breathed a sigh of relief that Naruto was still Naruto.

"Baka… but that's beside the point. For right now I want you to forget about that mission," Tsunade began, but she was interrupted.

"Tsunade-sama, how can you say that?" Sakura blurted out. "Some shinobi come out of no-where, attack and kill regardless of ninja or civilian status, and you want us to _forget about it?_" she asked in disbelief.

Tsunade stared at her former apprentice until she looked away. "Yes, I do, Sakura. And they didn't, 'come out of no-where' as you put it. We know what village they're from… what I'm worried about is what they're after."

"Pain said that he had killed Hanzou, before I killed him… does that help at all" Naruto supplied hopefully. Yet after the words left his mouth, Tsunade went pale.

"Why didn't you tell me this earlier?" she exclaimed. Naruto almost went as white as his Hokage, shuddering at the implication: something in this world gave the last Legendary Sannin fear, something that Naruto should probably also be fearing.

"What are trying to get at, baa-chan?" Naruto asked gently, trying to keep the situation from getting hysterical. Tsunade shook her head.

"You have no idea who Hanzou the Salamander is?" Tsunade asked Naruto in disbelief. Sakura would have laughed if the situation wasn't so dire.

"Why would I know about some lizard? Besides, he's dead, right?" Naruto asked. Despite his heightened maturity, it seemed that one thing Jiraiya missed during those long three years was a filler for his lack of an Academy education, despite his graduation.

"Naruto, Hanzou was the most powerful ninja in the world. It was in a battle against him that the Three Sannin of Konoha were born. Orochimaru, Jiraiya and I were fighting against the forces of Amegakure, who had allied with Iwa in the last Great Shinobi War."

Kira bowed her head. Tsunade saw this in her peripheral and filed that away for later, otherwise ignoring it. "We had managed to kill of all of the enemy shinobi except their leader. He, like most of the Ame-nin, wore a breathing mask, but this one was huge and covered his entire face. We could never see his face, except for red eyes. We fought him, but he was strong… too strong. Stronger than any shinobi alive. To put this situation in perspective, Naruto, he could probably kill you if he really wanted to."

Naruto gulped. "What do you mean by, 'really wanted to?'" Hinata asked with no small amount of trepidation.

Tsunade sighed. "Jiraiya wanted to keep fighting, but Orochimaru and I knew we were beaten. But for some reason, Hanzou didn't finish us off. Instead, he complimented our strength and demanded that we live on as the Legendary Sannin of Konoha. Then he just… left," she finished somewhay anticlimactically. She groaned and rummaged aimlessly for a bottle of sake while massaging her skull with her free hand. "If Jiraiya were alive I'd send him to Amegakure to gather some intel, but he would have been the only one to get in there and out alive, if anyone was capable."

Thoughts began to whirl inside Naruto's head, too quickly for him to act on them at the moment. Sasuke unknowingly stalled for time that none of the ninja in the room thought they needed.

"So what are you orders, Hokage-sama?" he asked politely, albeit bluntly. Tsunade took a swig of the newfound rice wine and swirled it thoughtfully around in her mouth for a bit. Then:

"Go home. Then, for the next few weeks, train to the brink of death until I call for you otherwise. I'll write up a sanction for the use of the "Forest of Death" for your team; live there until you get bored or something," she said, turning around in her chair to face the skyline of Konoha. "You are dismissed."

The team of extraordinary shinobi and kunoichi bowed and turned to leave. Naruto remained.

"Naruto-kun?" Kira asked when she noticed that their loud leader wasn't with them.

He smiled brightly. "Don't worry about me, there was something I wanted to ask baa-chan real quick!"

Kira shook her head. "It's not that; you're the only one who can get into our house." Naruto's face fell, and he fished around in his weapon's pouch until he found and pulled forth five seals.

"Memorize this kanji, then destroy it. It's the unlocking seal for the doors and windows, you can only open them from the outside by writing it on the door," Naruto said as he handed the papers to Kira.

"When did you have time to do this?" Kira asked in wonder. Naruto grinned, and Kira almost knew what he was going to say before he did.

"Kage bunshin no jutsu."

After everyone had gone, and it was just Naruto and the Hokage, he cleared his throat.

But before he could begin, Tsunade cut him off.

"Absolutely not."

Naruto got mad. "Dammit Tsunade, you and I both know I can do this. You _know_ what Jiraiya taught me, you _know_ exactly what I am capable of, and you _know _that if I don't do this, Konoha could be threatened with total destruction. AGAIN! I'm sick and tired of assholes who think the only way to have fun in this world is to take control of as much of it as they can!" he yelled, building to an angry rant at the end.

Tsunade turned back to face Naruto, and he was shocked to see tears in her eyes, unshed, but there just the same.

"Baa-chan…" he said softly. She bowed her head.

"I can't bear the thought of losing you too," she said chokingly. She angrily attacked her eyes with the long green sleeve of her jacket. "You're just like him, too. Always running into the most dangerous situations because you're the only one who can!" she sniffed slightly, then her face was stern once again. "This is an order, Naruto! You had better come back here with something to report, or don't come back at all!" she shouted, pointing a menacing finger at him.

Naruto stared at her, then slowly extended his own finger and hooked it around Tsunade's.

"That's a promise," he replied smugly. Tsunade giggled despite herself.

"Have you thought about what you're going to tell your teammates?" she asked, knowing exactly how Hinata would react to the news.

Naruto's cheeks went red. "I'll think of something. I've got a few days, after all."

Turning away once more, Tsunade laughed. "Think hard, gaki. Think long and hard. Dismissed."

Naruto bowed, secure in that Tsunade would never see it, and left.

* * *

"Okay, he's leaving!" Hinata relayed to the others. "He'll be out in a little bit."

"I wonder what he was going on about in there," Sakura wondered aloud. Sasuke shrugged.

"Probably wondering when Hokage-sama will retire," he said, staring off into space.

"It's so weird to think of him as the Hokage," Kira said as she sat on the ground outside the Hokage's mansion. "Sure, he's strong and brave, courageous, smart, talented, really good-looking…" she trailed off. "Ah Hinata-chan, you sure got lucky!" she said playfully. Hinata blushed. Haku went red as well, but for a different reason.

"You're telling me. You have no idea how happy I was when I finally got his attention," Hinata replied.

"Finally? What d'you mean by that?" Haku asked, puzzled.

"She had liked me for years, and I just never caught on!" Naruto said, having heard the tail end of the conversation. Hinata blushed even redder.

"Shut up! You only figured it out about eight years after the fact! EIGHT! That's a really long time!" Hinata accused, not really sure why she was getting so worked up.

Naruto pecked her on the cheek. "But I finally caught on, didn't I?" he asked teasingly. Hinata just huffed, but the others could tell she was pleased.

"So! What's the big secret, Naruto?" Sakura asked, placing herself in front of their leader. Naruto looked her in the eye.

"You'll all find out at the end of the week. For know, we'd better get some rest and figure out how we're gonna do this training thing," he said, smoothly dodging the question and the pink-haired kunoichi and continuing down the street. After awhile, the group shrugged and followed in his wake.

When they arrived at the Uzumaki compound, Naruto immediately whipped up a pot of rice with some chicken he found in the fridge that was still good and served a Spartan dinner, complete with broccoli. A well-balanced meal.

"So; what now, fearless leader?" Haku asked teasingly as they finished their meal. Naruto say back in his chair thoughtfully, aware that eyes were on him.

"Ummm… how the hell should I know?" he tossed out apprehensively. Everyone sighed.

"Naruto, how can you not have thought of something by now?" Sasuke asked wonderingly. Naruto shook his head.

"That wasn't really the impression I was trying to give. What I really want to say is, 'why can't we keep doin' what we doin',' but apparently that doesn't but it anymore," Naruto asked. He leaned back in his seat, admiring his teammates' empty plates. "What I think Baa-chan wants us to do is become a more functional team. She knows we can handle ourselves, but what she really needs is a squad of shinobi that can handle any and all situations."

He leaned forward. "Let's be honest with ourselves: we are an anomaly. Why would the leader of a village concentrate her most powerful shinobi into a six-man unit? Wouldn't it make more sense to spread the power around? Also, why are we six, when we should really be two three's or at least distributed to other groups?" he asked plaintively.

Sakura nodded. "Like when we first became genin."

Sasuke nodded. "They acted like they were distributing the strength, but in reality they placed teams based on what missions they were meant to take. Like how Sasuke-kun and Naruto-kun and I were a team."

"And how Kiba, Shino, and I were a team. That was a lot of tracking shinobi on one team, neh?" Hinata added. Naruto nodded approvingly.

"We need to work on our teamwork. We need to learn how to survive and depend on each other in the chaos of a shinobi fight. The more we work on eliminating enemies as a team, the more efficient we'll be as a team." Naruto confirmed.

"But what if we get into a situation like the caravan attack?" Haku asked. Naruto grinned.

"Partner training," was all he said through the fox-like grin.

And with that, Naruto stood and demanded they all get sleep.

"And no breakfast tomorrow!" he added cheerfully as he kissed Hinata goodnight and stalked off to the section of the house where he, Sasuke, and Haku slept.

Sasuke followed after an awkward good night with Sakura, who followed Hinata.

"No goodnight kiss from the Uchiha?" Hinata asked teasingly. Sakura lightly punched her arm.

"No fair, I'm still working on it!" she shot back. Hinata giggled.

"You should be more forceful; I'll bet Sasuke-kun likes being… 'taken'!" Hinata said with a sly grin. Sakura blushed and took off after Hinata, who ran to her room and slammed the door.

This left Haku and Kira, and one of them decided to bring up a problem.

"So you're worried about training with a team you might not be on for much longer, neh?" Haku asked, before Kira could say anything. Shocked at how on the mark his comment was, she nodded.

"I'm… I'm not sure about how I feel right now… I'm kinda homesick, but at the same time I've never felt more…," she trailed off, uncertain. She looked at Haku helplessly.

"At home?" he supplied. Kira sighed.

"I just don't know what it is I want."

Haku stood up and gripped Kira's shoulders. "Look at me," he requested softly. Kira looked him in the eye, green meeting soft brown.

"How do you feel about the Tsuchikage?" he asked, taking Kira by surprise once more.

"He's like a father to me," she answered instantly. Haku nodded, as if expecting the quick reply.

"And what about Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun, and Sakura-chan and Hinata-chan?" he pressed. Kira smiled.

"They're like brothers and sisters; they're the first friends I've had, really," she said softly, knowing where Haku was going with this. "But don't you want to know how I feel about you?" she asked playfully.

Haku grinned. "I already know how you feel about me."

Kira smiled, and Haku was reminded of a cat stalking a mouse as she moved closer to him. "Oh? And just what does my heart tell you, Haku-kun?" she asked, her voice becoming lower.

Haku looked up at the ceiling. "You like me, because I surprise you and challenge you despite the fact that you could tear my face off before I could blink," he said confidently. Thus, when he looked back into Kira's eyes he was disturbed to see tears. "Ooops…" he muttered. But she shook her head and hugged him tightly, burying her head in his shoulder. His arms went instantly around her back. She held the embrace for a moment, then pulled away slightly.

"How do you do that?" she asked. Haku looked puzzled.

"Do what?"

She sighed. "How do you know exactly what I'm thinking?" she asked helplessly. For a moment nothing happened. Then Kira felt a hand pull her chin upward and Haku's lips gently brushed her own.

"Because you're the only one I've ever been able to understand," he answered simply. "I can't explain it, and I'm fine with that. I'm just content to run with things as they are. Maybe that's what you need to do. You're in Konoha now, and you will be until Tsunade-sama is done with the treaty. So until then, enjoy yourself. Work hard, and things will happen," he added with a wink.

Kira smacked his arm. "You're the only one who can get away with that, y'know," she said as she turned to leave.

Haku watched her go with a grin, waiting until she was gone. Then: "So that means I'm your _only_ boyfriend?"

Satisfied with her muffled expletive, he made his way to his room for much-needed sleep. Tomorrow would prove to be quite a workout.

* * *

And that's that. One note: the wailing on a cow with a rubber mallet was inspired by Yahtzee of Zero Punctuation fame. Will try to get more chappie goodness out soon, review and wait with bated breath (but not too long, lest you suffocate 'cause I'm stoopid).


	39. The Necessity of Training

So yet another chapter! And number 39! YAY! Manga fans may catch a few references here and there; I've cited the only one I copied that needs to be. Other than that, enjoy!

Quote of the day: "The knowledge... it fills me! It is neat..."

* * *

Chapter 39 – The Necessity of Training

"Alright, we'll split into groups based on our abilities: Sakura-chan, you'll be paired with Kira-chan, Haku will partner with Sasuke, and Hinata-chan will work with me," Naruto explained. It was a bright day, and Naruto had made sure that his team reserved one of Konoha's open-area training fields. Haku glared.

"How come you're conveniently working with _your_ girlfriend while the rest of us are separated?" Haku complained. Naruto sent him a death glare, Shirugan flashing red before reverting to slivery blue.

"Because I just said we'll work according to ability. 'If the words of command are not clear and distinct, of orders are not thoroughly understood, then the general is to blame.' Do you know who said that?" Naruto asked. Haku shook his head.

"Sun Tzu," Sakura said proudly, ignoring Sasuke's muttered, "Typical."

"Correct. So I'll explain: Sakura-chan is working with Kira-chan because she's our medic-nin; she needs protection, but to have someone exclusively protect someone so powerful in combat and skilled in evasion is a waste, so Kira will not only watch Sakura-chan's back but also use her Doton jutsu from afar. You know more than what you tried on me, right?" Naruto directed his last question to Kira. When she nodded, he grinned. "Good; that'll be interesting to test in combat, and enemy ninja will get close to you at their own peril, with the taijutsu you two have. Haku, you're with Sasuke because you're both fast, have conflicting ninjutsu and fantastic taijutsu."

"What does conflicting elements have to do with us working together?" Haku asked, genuinely wondering.

"If we combine our attacks, if say I use a Katon jutsu and you use one of your ice or Doton jutsu, the enemy can't block effectively against both, and if you use a Futon jutsu, our attacks will increase the effectiveness of the other," Sasuke explained. "The same goes for my Raiton jutsu."

"Show-off," Naruto muttered with another grin. Sasuke shot it back, and Naruto went on. "Hinata-chan's working with me because our styles of combat both focus on incredibly fast, accurate, and devastating damage and make use of pure chakra. Her control exceeds mine, but not by much; my own ninjutsu supporting her or her long-range jyuuken technique supporting me are what we'll be focusing on."

"That makes a lot of sense, Naruto-kun, though I know better than to be surprised by now," Sakura commented. Naruto shrugged.

"We all have our strengths and weaknesses; Ero-sennin made sure I knew that. Now we'll try something new: I'm gonna make a squad of kage bunshin for each of our groups. They'll fight to kill, but you should still have no trouble dispelling them. Just remember to take this seriously. This will also work well because all the knowledge my clones receive about your combat will transfer to me. Sakura-chan, watch your genjutsu range, if you try any," Naruto explained, forming a seal and creating eighteen clones. "Separate, and lets do this. The objective is to dispel all the clones! HAJIME!"

At Naruto's command, the clones split into three groups of six across the training field they had reserved from the Hokage. Naruto's team split as well, and they ran to engage their opponents, all of which had the Shirugan and all of which were forming seals.

Sakura and Kira split apart and began to run a figure-eight pattern towards the six clones they were to defeat. However, when they reached a point where their paths crossed, Naruto's clones suddenly leapt into action, the one forming seals finishing the technique setting his feet properly. He launched into a kaiten-like spin, launching chakra-laden air sickles at the pair, the others using their nine-tailed taijutsu.

The sickles collided with Kira, who was in the lead, tearing her into lateral pieces and continuing into Sakura, treating her likewise. Both transformed into rocks and fell to the ground in pieces. Two poofs indicated that two clones were taken out; Sakura and Kira had leapt apart from one another at that split instant before death, enacting a kawarimi and attacking a clone each. However, they were both attacked by Naruto's clones, each wielding tails of chakra in different ways, some like scorpion stingers and others like sword-arms. The one who used the Futon jutsu drew Makai and charged.

Kira ducked and weaved around the two clones' tails, moving like water and striking back when she could. But Naruto had, over the years, instructed his clones to dodge rather than block attacks, improving their usefulness in combat. Sakura was hard-pressed with her clone, but quickly formed a plan. Suddenly breaking off combat, she ran towards Kira, forming seals and marking the three clones they were fighting with chakra. She finished the technique as she ran into Kira. To the clones it appeared that Sakura ran _into _Kira, disappearing inside her, but what really happened was that Sakura went into a roll. Kira jumped backwards over her, planting her hands and delivering a spinning kick to an unsuspecting clone in pursuit. Sakura herself flicked two kunai at the other two clones, dispelling them.

Then she leapt backwards as the last clone nearly decapitated her with Makai. Recovering flawlessly, the clone ran to Sakura, who was backing away and feigning distress – until Kira finished her Doton jutsu, and a spike of rock appeared in front of the clone. There was a puff of smoke.

Kira breathed a sigh of relief and pulled her fist out of the ground. Sakura grinned at her partner and flashed the victory sign, but put on a puzzled look when Kira leapt forward and swept her legs out from underneath her. Makai whistled past her head, taking the ends of her hair as it fluttered upwards. The cut turned into a thrust, catching Kira on the arm. Sakura used the brief opening to thrust a chakra-punch into the clone's solar plexus, and it was dispelled; she then set to healing Kira's wound.

"Thanks," she said with relief when the wound was closed. Sakura nodded.

"Puncture wounds are the worst; I'm glad I was here. C'mon, let's watch the others…"

Sasuke and Haku began by forming seals for respective jutsu as the squad of clones drew their Makai and charged, creating a "coating" of wind on the blade with their jutsu.

Haku, seeing this, abandoned his jutsu and met their charge; as Sasuke finished his jutsu he saw Haku gather his demonic chakra, marveling at its sharp nature.

Sasuke's housenka no jutsu (phoenix flames) flew towards the clones, two of which tried to block with their wind-charged katana, which resulted in the same amount of small firestorms around the clones. Sasuke was barely aware of the scattering of the clone's chakra into nothingness, instead beginning his next jutsu as he ran towards Haku, who was fending of the other clones. Every time a clone made an attack or flurry, Haku swiped his hand across the path of the blade, creating a sheet of wind which. Such was the nature of his chakra that the blades stopped cold when meeting the shields; had they not been covered in a Futon jutsu themselves they might have been marred – if they were normal katana. Such was the power of the kinjutsu kage bunshin that it created near-perfect replicas of the used and his possessions. One of the clones used its Shirugan to activate the power of Makai; it gleamed, and the next shield Haku erected was obliterated. Unfazed, Haku simply swiped forward, shooting out an arc of wind and dispelling the clone.

By now, Sasuke's last jutsu was finished, and he splayed his hands, out of which spewed arcs of lightning which he was able to direct with the Sharingan despite the speed at which they traveled. Such was Haku's speed that, as Sasuke finished his jutsu, he gathered his chakra once more and whipped through a jutsu, creating a small whirlwind around his form. Sasuke grinned and directed all the lightning he could at Haku; the result was a small storm which struck clones and the ground at random. When the clones were dispelled, Sasuke ceased the jutsu and slumped slightly. Haku sent him a questioning look, but Sasuke waved it off and stood straight.

"All that's left is Naruto and Hinata," Haku remarked lightly, brushing away some dust and fingering a small tear in his robes where a Makai slipped through his guard…

Hinata ducked and wove through the torrent of chakra lashing around her, weaving her strings of chakra as quickly and fluidly as she could. Back to back with her stood Naruto, two tails extending out of his arms. They twisted and turned in perfect sync with the other, attacking high after the other had went low, catching the clones off-balance and disorienting them. And just when the clones seemed to move in tune with the spinning pair, they would switch direction, never leaving the other behind. Finally, Naruto managed to dispel a clone with a hit to the chest, arm extended in a thrust. Hinata grabbed his collar and yanked him backwards, using the momentum to swap placed with him and palm-thrust two clones in the face.

As Naruto was yanked backwards he jumped off the ground and placed his left hand on the ground, drawing Makai with his right. When the blade was free, he let his left arm buckle and, turning on the ground, reversed his roll and came up facing the last three clones, blade hissing through the air to catch a clone in the side of the neck. The next one in line blocked with one of his chakra tails, and the other scribed a seal with the Shirugan into the ground beneath Naruto, who recognized it and scribed his own seal on top of it, creating a mound of densely packed chakra-reinforced earth, which was blown apart by the explosion scribed underneath it. The clone died immediately after from a chakra beam to the forehead, and Naruto summoned all nine of his tails at once and leapt to the last clone. Instead of taking the feint, the last clone drew Makai and parried Naruto's blows with his sword and his own tails – and caught a rasengan in the back. After the enemy clone was dispelled, Naruto recalled his own clone that he had made and went to sheath Makai.

However, before he could, his instincts screamed and he brought Makai up parallel to his head and pushed it across with his other hand, deflecting a straight thrust aimed for his head. Across the field, Sakura and Kira were beset by a green blur, out of which erupted strikes faster than the eye could see. Sasuke and Haku were attacked by an identical blur, and Hinata found herself in a jyuuken duel.

Naruto spun around and raised his blade to parry a diagonal slash, turning the block into a strike to the neck, which was promptly deflected as Tenten pulled the hilt of her – and Naruto had to blink twice and scan it with the Shirugan to ensure the reality – kodachi up, fulcruming around Naruto's force and drawing his blade down. She leapt forward, slamming the hilt into Naruto's face, or tried to; Naruto was already pivoting around her, turning Tenten's deflection into the beginning of an upward slash.

Hinata ducked and weaved under Neji's assault, taking his attacks and returning them, every now and then dodging entirely when he tried to assault her tenketsu and attempted to return the favor. Without warning, he broke away and crouched own low, hands held in a line at an angle with the ground away from her, and spun into the opening strikes of Hakke Rokukuyon Sho. Mimicking his motions, Hinata spun into the technique as well, adding her chakra beams and blocking Neji's strikes as they escalated from two to 64. However, she was a millisecond too slow, and Neji managed to land a hit on her shoulder, sealing a tenketsu and slowing her left arm's movement. Undeterred, Hinata dropped and spun, bringing a foot up into a kick at Neji's head, which connected and forced him away; he recovered, turning his tumble into a roll and coming up into another charge. Hinata crouched as she watched his chakra form into wind.

Sasuke and Haku could only defend against Lee's relentless fury, defend and search fruitlessly for an opening they could exploit. Finally, Haku had the chance to break away. He quickly formed a few seals, ending on his personal blood seal, and used his chakra to draw water from the air, manipulating both at once to form his ice-senbon, which he began to fling at Lee. Sasuke sensed the impending chakra and leapt away as the barrage hit Lee. When the dust cleared, he was nowhere to be found. Haku lowered his arms and jumped high into the air as Lee exploded out of the ground beneath him. The Green Beast was kicked away by Sasuke however, who had watched Lee's chakra as it moved with the Sharingan. Before Lee landed he whipped through ten seals, ending on tiger, and emitted the Ryuuka no jutsu (dragon flames technique). The area in front of Sasuke erupted into flames and he scanned them intently, knowing that Lee would probably evade the technique.

He had, and was charging for Sasuke when a mirror of ice was erected in his path, out of which Haku came and fisted the Green Beast in the nose. Sasuke had been on the receiving end of that technique before, senbon replacing fists, but he didn't recall Haku moving as swiftly as he did just then to beat Lee's reactions. _Demonic chakra… really creepy…_ he decided.

Sakura and Kira were actually having fun with their battle. Maito Gai was as strong as Lee and just as fast, but Sakura and Kira had been trained to be unsurpassable at evasion. Kira's movements were graceful and elegant, always causing Gai to miss by a hair's breadth; Sakura was ruthless and efficient, because despite her improved stamina her control still far exceeded her chakra capacity and she reserved as much as she could, minimizing her movements and leaving no openings, waiting for the moment to strike.

_If your opponent is skilled, he will not give you an opening. Thus, you must make one yourself,_ Sakura recalled from her tutelage under Tsunade. She whipped her fist into the ground, shattering the earth and making the playing field interesting, as well as revealing something unexpected.

"Kakashi-sensei!?" she said with no small amount of surprised. The surprised ex-ANBU member winked and leapt out of the crater. Around them, the individual scuffles ground to a halt, and Gai walked over to stand next to Kakashi.

"I was aware of the fires of youth in your pupils and Kurenai's student, Kakashi, but who are these two? Their youthful exuberance truly fills me with joy!" Gai exclaimed gleefully.

Kira and Haku edged away nervously after approaching the group, but Naruto patted Haku's shoulder. "Don't worry; he seems like a pedophile, but his tastes are normal in that regard. He's just a little… eccentric…"

"Naruto, your capacity for understatement astounds me," Neji replied dryly, but Naruto just laughed.

"Actually, I have no idea," Kakashi said in reply to Gai's question, causing the heavily-eyebrowed jounin to howl in defeat. "Just kidding. I know the one; I killed him, in fact. The other, though, really is unknown to me, but she seems familiar somehow."

Haku stared menacingly at Kakashi for a moment, then laughed. "Copy-Ninja Kakashi. We meet yet again, and under friendly circumstances!"

Kakashi chuckled softy. "Glad you don't hold a grudge." Haku shrugged.

"You did you duty; I did mine. Who can hold that against anyone?" he asked rhetorically, and Kakashi nodded at the boy's understanding. He turned to Kira. "We've met, but we never really had a chance for a proper introduction. You're surname is Shashiya, correct?"

Kira sighed. "You fought in the Iwa-Konoha war, correct? Specifically, you fought my mother."

Kakashi nodded solemnly. "She was an excellent shinobi; I didn't fight her myself, but there aren't many with red hair and green eyes like yours. I am sorry for your loss."

Kira shook her head. "Spare me your pity; for a jinchuuriki, I had a great upbringing, one that I am sure was not shared by the other jinchuuriki."

Kakashi nodded once, and that was that. He turned to Naruto. "I decided to observe your training. I was going to ambush you myself but I wasn't expecting Team Gai to take my fun away." He looked at Naruto appraisingly. "I don't think Konoha has anything to fear with a Rokudaime like you, Naruto."

Naruto smiled. "Arigato-gozaimas, Kakashi-sensei."

Tenten tapped him on the shoulder then, and he turned to see her extending her kodachi towards Naruto. "Go on, you know you want to!" she offered brightly.

Naruto acquired a hungry look in his eye and took the kodachi from Tenten, marveling at its balance and strength.

"Tou-san thinks we can shorten and straighten Makai without damaging it in any way or removing any of its… unusual qualities! What do you think?" she asked as Naruto returned the blade with a bow. Naruto nodded enthusiastically.

"I'll come with you after we're done here," he assured her.

"This partner thing worked pretty well for you guys," Kakashi was telling Sakura.

"Do you think Naruto wants to replace the teams of three genin when he becomes Hokage?" she asked. Kakashi shook his head, the motion being mimicked by Naruto.

"I think the teams of three with a squad leader works really well. This is more suited to our purposes and allows us to essentially perform any mission, but the success of the village depends on a variety of missions being taken at the same time. With the squad system we have now Konoha can accept almost as many missions as we have active ninja for," Naruto explained.

"Also, don't forget that never in the history of the ninja world has there ever been a case of the jinchuriki working together," Kakashi added dryly. "Usually they just try to kill each other and everyone around them."

Naruto nodded. "Yeah, that too. Well, that was pretty good for the first day. Just remember: fight like a shinobi, fight like a kunoichi. Don't drag a fight out. The point of practicing against clones is that you can strike with absolute killing intent without fear o harming anyone. Strike to kill as quickly as possible. Don't ignore strategy, but don't hesitate in the slightest to end a fight as quickly as possible. Honor in combat means a different thing to a ninja," Naruto explained. "I'm at fault here too. We'll meet back here in three hours to discuss what we can do to improve. Dismissed for now."

Tenten tugged his sleeve excitedly. "C'mon, let's go!" she said, reminding Naruto of a hyperactive squirrel.

"Do you mind if I come along, Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked sweetly. Tenten laughed.

"Don't worry about me, Hinata-chan, I'm too busy trying to break Neji in to go after Naruto too!" Tenten teased. Hinata grinned.

"Of course," was Naruto's reply, and that was that.

"Well if it isn't Naruto! Come to grace me with your presence, lad?" the grizzled weaponsmith called out as Naruto entered the shop with Tenten and Hinata.

"Good to see you too, Tou-san," Tenten huffed. The old man laughed.

"And who might this lovely young lady be… ah! Welcome to my shop, Hyuuga-san! I am Busho, and I'm sure you've met my daughter," Busho said, indicating the weapons prodigy.

"Pleased to meet you," Hinata said politely, bowing. Naruto strode forward and gripped Busho's hand in a firm handshake.

"Sorry I haven't come by more often, oji-san! But I think you'll like what I've got for you!" Naruto said, untying Makai from his belt and presenting it to Busho. "Tenten tells me you can shorten the blade without altering its properties."

Busho nodded. "This will benefit you, Naruto-kun. A little birdie tells me you enjoy fighting in close and are extremely fast; a kodachi will give you and your particular style of fighting a much greater control of range, plus with the handle of a katana you'll get more power in each strike."

"How could having a shorter blade increase his range?" Hinata asked curiously. "Wouldn't having a longer weapon be better for fighting at a distance?"

Busho laughed. "That's a good question. Actually, range isn't really the length of your weapon, it's how far away you can be from your opponent while still being able to hit him in one movement. So yes, a yari or nodachi would have a long range based on its length alone, but a weapon like a kodachi can give its wielder an even greater range by allowing the wielder to control his opponent's range." He stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Oftentimes, a fight between two skilled fighters is determined by how well one keeps out of the other's range while staying within his own. A larger weapon, despite having a long range, has longer blind spots and it's difficult to keep an opponent out of your own range while simultaneously entering his range." (Watsuki, 4).

Hinata nodded, simply absorbing the knowledge and filing it away for future use.

"So can you have it for me in a week?" Naruto asked suddenly. Busho eyed him curiously.

"It'll be ready tomorrow; I just finished the last special order I had en queue, but what's the rush?" he asked mildly. Naruto shook his head.

"No reason, just curious," he replied. _Can't let anything slip about the mission._

Busho nodded, though he looked at Naruto with no less suspicion. "Alright then. Come by tomorrow morning and I'll have it ready for you. Sayonara!" he called out as he took Makai back to his shop.

Naruto left the shop after saying good-bye to Tenten, a noticeable lilt to his step.

"Are you hurt, Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked as she followed Naruto through Konoha. He grinned.

"Not having Makai on my hip is gonna take some getting used to," he confessed, patting his left hip.

"It's only for a day, though, so it won't be that bad," Hinata reasoned, but Naruto shook his head.

"I think I'm gonna keep it on my back. Recently I've been noticing that it gets in the way of my more complicated taijutsu techiniques." Naruto explained. "Good thing Tsunade gave us all week to train."

Hinata nodded. "We made a pretty good team," she added, a small amount of pride entering her voice. Naruto smiled and placed an arm around her shoulders.

"Yeah, we did." And they walked as such until Naruto steered them into a local eatery. After a quick lunch of sukiyaki, they made their way back to the training grounds, where Haku and Kira were having an argument. Sasuke and Sakura looked on from the sidelines, and Naruto was quick to note that Sakura's hand was entwined with Sasuke's. As they approached, the point of the spat became clear.

"My bijuu is SO much better than yours," Kira proclaimed. Haku shook his head.

"On what grounds? The ability to keep its host animal as a pet? You've got nothing on me. Speed? Mine. Eyesight? Mine. What exactly are your special abilities again?" and he cocked a hand to his ear.

Kira glared. "The agility to dodge any attack you dish out. Speed of my own."

Haku laughed. "Wanna have a little test, then? To see who's faster, more agile, neh?" he poked her. "Unless you're scared of losing."

Kira laughed haughtily and turned to Naruto. "Naruto-kun, how can we do this?" she demanded. Naruto scratched his head.

"Ummm… I dunno. Maybe we can see which one of you can hit me first, since I definitely beat both you in speed and agility?" he offered.

Dead silence enveloped the team as Naruto's suggestion hung in the air. Sakura stopped functioning altogether, and Sasuke turned away so the look of abject horror on his face wouldn't embarrass him.

Kira recovered first. "You're joking, right? You're gonna get hurt, y'know," she admonished.

Naruto smiled in return, tails popping out of his arms and twisting defensively around his body. "We'll see who gets hurt."

* * *

"Yes!" Haku howled.

"Yes!" Kira exulted as she finally made contact with Naruto.

The couple looked at each other, than at Naruto. Both their attacks – Haku's ice-encrusted fist and Kira's shuto – were making contact with Naruto, and by his estimation they had landed at the same time.

Perfect.

"You know what this means, right?" he asked them, as if prompting them for an answer. Haku scoffed.

"This proves nothing, right?" he complained. Naruto shook his head.

"No. What this proves is that a parterned pair of members of our team is capable of taking down someone who is more powerful than both of them combined." Naruto explained patiently. "Teamwork is key, especially when dealing with opponents of great skill like ourselves."

Sakura clapped lightly, and Sasuke smiled his approval.

Naruto smiled as well. _Maybe by the end of the week, they can pull this off._

For to survive without their leader, they would have to function effectively without Naruto. And they were suspicious already; Hinata would probably share with the rest of the team what she heard in Busho's weapon shop when he wasn't around. In fact, he wanted her to. It would make it easier on the rest of them.

_Eh… let things happen, _Naruto reasoned.

After all, only time would tell.

* * *

So there you go! Tell me whatcha think, I like writing fight scenes.

Ja ne!


	40. Death Mission

I know, I know, this is abysmally short, but hey, this happens every now and then. The next chappie is back to normal, but after that I'm afraid it's up to the pacing to determine the length of the chapter, so again, bear with me.

ONWARD!

* * *

Chapter 40 - Death Mission

"So! Whaddya think!" Busho exclaimed excitedly, unable to contain his pride and apprehension at Naruto's reaction any longer.

The blonde tested the balance of each blade, positioning one on a finger on either hand and balancing them perfectly at where the hilt met the blade, weighing them with the air of a connoisseur.

Naruto had begun the day without any hassle. Breakfast was served the next morning by Kira, who had insisted that as long as she was a guest in Naruto's home and village she would earn her keep. Ignoring the fact that the life-threatening missions they would surely be sent on, let alone the administrative work Kira would be doing soon, would pay for a small apartment and then some, Naruto wisely acquiesced. There was something about a woman's touch, he rationalized, that made food taste better.

Absent at breakfast were any comments or questions from his teammates, Hinata in particular, about what she had heard in Busho's shop, which made Naruto wonder if she had told them at all. He made sure to give her a peck on the cheek when he greeted her that morning, and while she looked pleased he could tell she was still curious.

The reason he was at the weapon shop so early in the morning and not training was waiting for him when he stepped outside. His Shirugan was instantly filled by large brown eyes literally shining with excitement.

"Naruto-kun, Naruto-kun! It's done! Come quick! NOW!" Tenten had howled, grabbing Naruto's arm. Before the Hokage-to-be could even voice a protest, he was gone, and Haku, Kira, Sasuke, Hinata, and Sakura had to sprint to keep up with the spirited kunoichi.

So, they all watched as Naruto handled his new kodachi, the dark steel seeming to reflect no light but rather give off light of their own. Naruto paused, and then flicked his hands. Two blades went spinning up into the air, and he grabbed the sheaths from Busho, who had held them while Naruto inspected his handiwork. As the kodachi spun downwards, he held the sheaths parallel to the ground and focused intently on them. As Busho watched, his Shirugan flared briefly, and the occupants of the room felt a large amount of chakra flare. Just before the blades reached Naruto's eye level, he flipped the sheaths and caught the blades in them.

And they promptly vanished.

The small weapons shop shook with the deafening silence, broken by a quietly enraged Busho.

"Boy, what did you do with my masterpiece?" he asked with a deadly quiet tone that promised swift yet painful death.

"Sealed them in a pocket dimension," Naruto answered simply, and paradoxically. Sasuke nodded.

"Like Tsukoyomi," he supplied. Naruto grinned.

"That was the basic idea. By scribing a certain line of seals onto the sheaths I can "summon" the swords at any moment by scribing a "key" seal in the air in front of me," he explained. Haku scratched his head.

"That sounds kinda overcomplicated. And really stupid and clichéd," he commented finally. Naruto shrugged.

"Whatever's the most practical. One of the reasons I agreed to have my dad's blade re-forged was because Makai was, in all honesty, kinda bulky, which is why my dad was never remembered for using it," Naruto countered. "Also, there was no way to reduce the size of the blade without eliminating the metal. Busho-jii-san-" and here Naruto was smacked by the grinning weaponsmith, "said he wasn't comfortable with wasting metal like that, so when I suggested that he make the blade suitable for a nito-ryu, or dual kodachi style, he was okay with that."

Haku opened his mouth to reply, but nothing came out as he couldn't really counter the technical argument Naruto presented. Before he could close it, Kira poked the roof of his mouth.

"Good way to catch flies!" she laughed as Haku struggled to come to grips with the odd feeling only gained by having the roof of one's mouth touched by someone else suddenly and without warning.

"So we're gonna train now, right?" Sakura pressed, ignoring Haku and Kira. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"You sound a lot like me," he grunted. Sakura elbowed him, otherwise saying nothing. Naruto stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"Well… OF COURSE! Get to the training field NOW!" he yelled. His team scattered instantly.

Naruto turned to Busho and bowed low. "I am in your debt," he said softly.

Busho waved his hand, trying not to look proud and failing. "Don't worry about it, son. Just use it well."

Naruto grinned and formed a seal. There was a flash of yellow light, and he was gone.

Tenten stared in awe. "What… what _was_that?" she whispered softly. Busho laughed uproariously and led her to the back of the shop.

"You _ever_heard of the Yondaime in that Academy of yours?" Busho asked mockingly. Tenten nodded, then paled as realization struck her.

"Naruto knows _that_technique?" she asked. Busho nodded. Tenten whistled.

"Konoha's in good hands," she decided.

Naruto was waiting for them at the training field. "Split up," he commanded when they got there. They made to stand with their partners, but Naruto shook his head. "Individually."

When they all stood alone, he nodded. "Yesterday went better than I expected; we all worked with our partners as if we had been training with them our entire lives. So now we're going to prepare for a very likely situation."

He formed the kage bunshin seal and formed 36 clones. "It is very possible that we'll be sent on missions which put us up against more enemies than normal; that is, we may be ordered to hold the line against an army or something to that effect."

Hinata went ever paler. "Naruto-kun, those are suicide missions." Kira nodded in agreement.

Naruto nodded. "That's absolutely right – for any other team. But we're not exactly normal, right? If I were hokage, I would be looking for an opportunity to prevent as many casualties as possible, and sending an overpowered team to do an impossible mission might be the best option. I honestly think we could survive such a mission." He paused. "However, in situations like this, we probably would have to separate to maximize our effectiveness and cover more ground. So!" and he sent his clones a signal. They all gathered in a group at one end of the training field. Naruto walked past his friends a ways until he gauged a far enough distance, then flashed through some seals, paying extra attention to his control for this volatile technique.

"**Doton: ****Yomi Numa!"** Naruto declared.

The ground erupted as the hell swamp formed, creating a line across the training field. Naruto nodded in approval.

"Defend the hell swamp. The clones will attack with the goal of getting past the hell swamp. Our goal is to keep them from getting there at all costs. Ready!" and he formed the seal again, formed even more black-clad Naruto bunshin.

And the battle raged…

"Tsunade-sama?" Shizune asked tentatively.

"… whuzzit…" the blonde asked groggily, getting up from her nap at her desk.

"You told me to remind you that we need Kira to help with the final paperwork today, remember?" Shizune said exasperatedly. Tsunade nodded.

"Hai, hai… well, let's go down to the training field and see how they're doing," she said, seeming to not hear what Shizune was saying.

Helplessly, she trailed behind the Godaime, resolved to her lot in life.

When they got to the training field, they were greeted by a rather touching scene.

What had happened was this: Naruto continuously made clones as his team proved rather adept at taking out ridiculous amounts of enemies with various jutsu. However, he made so many in so short a time that for the first time in months Naruto was extremely close to chakra depletion. Hinata with her Byakugan noticed it first, and Sasuke picked up on it when he had time to check on his teammates. The rest noticed when Naruto's fox-tail jutsu dissipated and he began using taijutsu and his new kodachi to dispatch clones.

But not even Naruto could hold it up forever. Pushed to the edge of the swamp, even his own clones began to wonder if this was okay, however Naruto refused to call them off. Giving a collective shrug, they pressed their attack, and Naruto, in his exhausted state, didn't notice that he had been maneuvered to the edge of the swamp. Blocking an attack from on clone and defending a sword strike from another, he was left open for a simple kick to the side, and over the edge of the rather deep and uninviting Hell Swamp.

The minute he hit bottom the clones dispelled as one. Immediately his teammates searched the area for Naruto, and when he couldn't be found they ran to the edge of the swamp.

Sasuke cursed. "There's too much chakra in the swamp, I can't see him!" Hinata nodded.

"I have a better chance. I can avoid focusing on one point." Sasuke agreed and stepped away from the edge.

Without warning Hinata dived into the swamp, and after a few tense minutes she re-emerged with Naruto's 5'7" and somewhat broad form tucked under one arm. Forming a human chain, Sakura, Kira, and Haku were able to pull Hinata out of the swamp. Together they dragged the couple over to a tree near the edge of the forest. Naruto took one look at Hinata, mumbled something that sounded like 'Arigato', and promptly fell asleep in Hinata's arms. She looked at him lovingly, then settled against the tree and fell asleep herself.

Unsure of what to do, Sasuke took charge. Kira and he worked on dispelling the hell swamp, while Haku and Sakura checked Naruto and Hinata for any injury. Hinata was more or less unscathed, and Naruto was well on the mend. When everyone had finished their tasks, they were near collapse themselves. Taking a leaf out of the Rokudaime-to-be's book, they propped themselves up against the tree for a rest themselves.

It was to this scene that the Godaime and her attendant arrived at. Torn between letting them rest and scolding them for so completely letting their guard down, Tsunade settled for simply walking over and poking her one-time apprentice in the shoulder.

"Sleeping on the job, Sakura?" she asked sternly. She made to poke the kunoichi again, but her hand was caught by Sasuke's.

"We're taking a break. We're exhausted. So we can move mountains and empty oceans with our strength, but right now we're all exhausted. So tired that ni-san was the first to pass out," Sasuke relayed tiredly as he closed his eyes once more, eyes that, Tsunade noted, were not red but black.

Tsunade shrugged. "His chakra should be back right now. What's his excuse?" she pressed. Sasuke directed her gaze toward the blonde with a flick of his head.

Naruto was curled up, his head resting on Hinata's lap while she stroked his hair absentmindedly.

"Would you get up?" he asked rhetorically. He sighed. "Naruto's little training exercise proved two things to us: that we can fight an army and win, but also only if they're not as strong as he. I'm really glad Akatsuki's gone," he finished as he rose from his seat next to Sakura, who immediately, albeit unconsciously, yanked on Sasuke's arm.

"C'mon everyone, get up!" Shizune said happily. "Life is short, but the day's barely begun!" She was right. The sun had only reached its zenith over the course of their training, but the prospect of being active for the rest of the day didn't make Sasuke feel any better.

"Oh… it's baa-chan…" Naruto mentioned groggily as he rose from his nap. He flexed his arms and inhaled deeply, closing his eyes. When they reopened, the Shirugan gazed forth.

"Sorry to interrupt your 'training,' Naruto-kun, but I need to borrow Kira," Tsunade said with an evil grin. Naruto nodded.

"We were done for the day. Do you have any jounin with doton chakra available?" Naruto asked suddenly. Tsunade nodded.

"One of the ANBU just got back from a mission. Why do you ask?" she demanded suspiciously.

Naruto laughed. "My nature used to be wind and water, but thanks to Kyuubi's chakra I could only use wind and demonic natured; now I can only use demonic chakra, but certain techniques are now amplified than if I could use other natures. Like yomi numa, for example."

Tsunade glared. "And let me guess: you had no idea that using destructive techniques like that one in a training field was prohibited?" she asked angrily.

Naruto shook his head. "I knew. I needed it to serve a point though."

"And was proving that point worth almost losing you to that… thing?" Hinata asked sweetly, with just a touch of arsenic. Naruto nodded.

"Again, this was as much a test for me as it was for you. An army placed into a desperate situation where the only options are to fight or die will find in them the strength to overcome impossible odds and live. The choice of being beaten into the hell swamp just doesn't appeal, does it? So we fought," Naruto explained.

Haku shook his head. "What's the point of all this training if we're just gonna die before we actually fight anyone?"

Naruto met his eyes. "This is for when the time comes that Tsunade steps down and I take over as the Rokudaime hokage. What, you think we'd be a team forever?" Naruto asked. When Haku got the point and looked down, Naruto grinned. "Don't worry about it though. Make use of the time we have, neh?"

Haku returned the grin and nodded, leaning over to whisper in Kira's ear.

"Toldja." She jabbed him as she went to accompany Tsunade, but she was smiling.

"I'll meet you guys back at the house, okay?" she called back. They all waved, and she left with the Godaime.

Naruto sighed. _Gotta tell them tonight._

* * *

And thar ye have it. Again, sorry this is so short and practically goes nowhere, but I need this chapter and it serves a purpose to reiterate some things and set up things for the next chapter, where Naruto will finally go on the info-gathering mission and his team goes nuts. Chalk it up to poor planning with last chapter on my part. R&R!


	41. Decision

Well, here begins the latest new chapter, and with it the countdown to the end! This project has simultaneously destroyed and built my confidence as a writer (the latter remains - YAY!), so I can safely say that I'm glad it's almost over. I predict 2 or 3 more chapters, so I hope you enjoy these last few installments. College is hard (2nd year w00t!), so be patient and stick it out with me to the end!

* * *

Chapter 41 - Decision

"Kira-chan? Have you seen Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked one morning, exactly one week since they had returned from their mission escorting the Grass caravan. The past few days had been filled with grueling training, but Hinata thought it was more than worth it. Naruto appeared more confident than ever with his chakra techniques and ninjutsu, throwing in kodachi work when he could. The rest of the team advanced well, with Sakura, Sasuke, and Hinata matching Kira, Haku, and Naruto for endurance, advancing far beyond what was expected of a shinobi or kunoichi.

"Why do you ask? Isn't he in his room?" she replied, scrambling the eggs. They had been taking it in turns to cook breakfast every morning.

Hinata blushed. "Well, last night… Naruto-kun asked me if I would… and I said yes, so we…"

Kira stopped cooking and turned the stove off, turning slowly to face a blushing Hinata with an evil grin and a wink.

"You two sure were quiet," she replied evilly. Hinata blushed even more.

"No! I mean, well, we slept together, but we didn't _sleep_ together!" she shouted. Then she 'eeped' and covered her mouth with her hands.

Too late, as Haku and Sasuke meandered into the kitchen. "You slept with Naruto? 'Bout time," Sasuke said nonchalantly as he took his seat. Haku grinned and gave Hinata the thumbs up.

"Dammit, we didn't have sex!" Hinata yelled once more, just as Sakura staggered in, looking exhausted. She blinked and backed out of the room slowly.

Hinata sighed. "When I woke up, he was gone," she explained. "No note, nothing."

Sakura poked her head back in. "Naruto's gone?" she asked confusedly. Hinata nodded. Kira shrugged.

"Well, there's no use letting breakfast get cold. Eat up, and we'll go see the Hokage. Maybe she summoned him for something and he didn't want to wake you. He _is_ the Rokudaime; if he didn't want to be seen or heard, it wouldn't have been a problem."

Hinata nodded, still worried. _Is this what Naruto-kun was talking about in Busho's shop?_ She wondered.

Tsunade stared at the five jounin standing in front of her, wondering how exactly to break the news to them that Naruto had persuaded her to send him on an S-class mission to infiltrate Amegakure and return with information as to why they had attacked the caravan, and what the hell was going on in that war-torn village.

So that's what she said.

She was surprised by their reaction: no immediate anger or hurt expressions, just slow nods. The news must not have hit them yet, Tsunade reasoned, but when it does-

"Wait a second, why didn't anyone tell us?" Sakura asked, puzzled. Tsuande glared, though her anger was not directed at them.

"Naruto didn't tell you, did he?" she guessed.

Correct.

"No, he didn't," Hinata breathed. She stared at the ceiling and appeared to be counting to ten. After she had finished, she redirected her gaze at Tsunade. "When is he expected to return?" she asked.

Tsunade thought for a moment. "Amegakure is about five days of travel for an army of shinobi, as quickly as they move; Naruto should be able to cover it in two or three. After that, it's hard to say, but he should be back within the week," she deducted.

Hinata nodded, and then turned to Sasuke and Sakura. "We can keep up with two jinchuuriki moving as quickly as they can, can't we?"

Tsunade shook her head. "Out of the question, there's no way I'll sanction you five-"

"Of course we can," Sasuke replied haughtily. "After the training Naruto put all of us through!" he went on, seemingly ignoring the Godaime. Sakura nodded vigorously and pumped her fist.

"Hey! Pay attention!" Tsunade shouted. Shizune burst into the room.

"What's going on?" she said helplessly, clutching the perpetually-depressed Ton-ton.

Kira grinned. "If we leave today, we can get to Amegakure right before Naruto infiltrates it. That would leave him with good support if there was any way we could get to him while he was in."

Tsunade motioned Shizune over and began to whisper in her ear.

"Well, let's get back to the Uzumaki complex and grab some gear. Thanks for the info, Tsunade-sama!" Haku said. Without any warning, the remaining members of Naruto's team vanished. Not even smoke disguised their disappearance – they were simply gone.

Tsunade's face contorted as approval, admiration, and frustration battled across her face. Before she knew it, Shizune had gone to complete the task she had outlined, and she only hoped it would be enough.

They ran back to Naruto's home and gathered their equipment. They didn't speak to each other until they were hurtling through the trees towards Amegakure, a two-day journey. Grim determination played their faces.

"We'll catch up with him, right?" Hinata asked worriedly, breaking the silence.

Sasuke shook his head. "Things rarely work out that easily, and this _is_ Naruto we're talking about. If I had to guess, I'd say he's outside the village right now, planning a way to get in undetected."

Kira shook her head. "But that's impossible! Even if you could summon a flying anime like the birds, it'd still take at least a day to get to Amegakure from Konoha, right?" she asked exasperatedly.

Haku grinned. "I dunno. Like Sasuke said, this is Naruto we're talking about. He has the Shirugan and the Hiraishin no jutsu."

"Yeah, but even Naruto doesn't have that kind of chakra… does he?" Sakura asked. Hinata nodded.

"Whenever I looked at him with the Byakugan, it looked like he had more chakra than all of us and everyone in the village combined," she said. Sasuke nodded.

"I'd believe that. His chakra was massive when we first did the chuunin exam; I don't think Hinata is exaggerating that much," he added. Sakura glared at him.

"He'd still run out if he used the Shirugan all the way to Amegakure," she protested.

"Umm… Hinata could check, couldn't she?" Haku said mildly. "If Sasuke hasn't seen any telltale chakra signs, maybe the Byakugan can?"

Kira skipped over to the path on which Haku was traveling through the trees and, in midair, pecked him on the cheek. He blushed, but before he could retaliate she was back in her own path.

Hinata, meanwhile, was concentrating. She activated the doujutsu and scanned the ground and trees in front of her.

"Nothing," she relayed to her teammates and friends. "Nothing on the ground or the trees… oh, for the love of the Kami…" she said tiredly.

"What? What is it?" Sakura asked excitedly. Hinata shook her head.

"There are some remnants of chakra in the sky 200 meters above us and about 500 meters behind us," Hinata said sadly. "I can't see anything else, but it looks like Naruto-kun used his Shirugan to project seals into the air on the horizon and flash…" she shook away tears that threatened to fall, unspoken words dying in her throat.

Silence threatened to descend on them again.

"We'll still make it in time to do something, right?" Kira asked soflty.

"Right?"

No one replied. No one stopped moving, but no one replied.

* * *

Naruto crouched down low, his back to the wall that surrounded Amegakure, and breathed in deeply.

_That was intense; I've never used that much chakra before, and this demonic stuff that I'm developing is powerful! It's like super-dense normal chakra!_ Naruto thought tiredly, shaking his head clear. He had managed the trip from Konoha to Amegakure, normally a two-day journey northwestward, in just under five hours. The sun had just peaked over the eastern horizon, and Naruto was ready to implement the next part of his plan: capture a shinobi leaving the village and assume their identity.

There was only one problem, he had been squatting there for fifteen minutes, and not a single person left through the gates.

"What the hell is _with_ this village? Don't they take missions or anything?" Naruto groaned aloud. He sat down with a plop onto the lushly vegetated ground.

"Sure is a lot of foliage here," he commented. As if to suggest the reason, a raindrop splattered on his head, and he groaned.

"Oh yeah… _Ame_gakure…" he sighed as it began to rain in earnest. Within minutes his black vest, shirt, and pants were soaked and his long hair and ponytail matted itself down. If his clothing weren't waterproof he would have been soaked.

Suddenly, he snapped his fingers and formed five quick seals. He slashed at his finger with his nails and a small spurt of blood appeared.

"**Kuchiyose no jutsu!"** he said happily, and was enveloped in smoke. He was then immediately pressed against the rock he was sitting on by something larger than he expected.

"Jeez, Gamakichi, what have you been eating?!" Naruto exclaimed. The toad he had summoned laughed.

"Didn't you ever wonder where summons go when we disappear, or where we're taken from when we get summoned? And nice to see you too, gaki!" the orange toad laughed.

Naruto grumbled. "Lemme guess: a place where time passes differently than here, hm?"

Gamakichi laughed. "You'll be a great hokage, Naruto-kun. So tell me, to what do I owe the pleasure? And I should know better by now than to ask, but you got any food?"

Naruto chuckled helplessly and dug through his hip pack, withdrawing some crackers. He opened the package and split it between the two of them; Gamakichi took his portion in one of his webbed hands in mock-surprise.

"Thernks," he said, mouth full of cracker. He gave an epic swallow as Naruto cleared his throat.

"Gamakichi, whaddya know about Amegakure? Did Gamabunta or anyone ever tell you anything?" Naruto asked hopefully. Gamakichi went still and appeared to be thinking for a moment or several. Then:

"Well, Amegakure has always pretty much kept to themselves. They're very secretive, more than the other villages. Their shinobi have never been seen outside their village except for the Third Great Shinobi War and the Chuunin exams," Gamakichi explained.

"Wait a sec," Naruto interjected, "what about the other shinobi wars?"

Gamakichi shrugged. "No one talks about them much; apparently they weren't as bad as the last one. But I'm pretty sure that Ame never fought in them. Amegakure never really attended the Chuunin exams until Hanzou the Salamander became the Amekage," he explained.

Naruto glared. The more he heard about this Salamander character, the more suspicious he became of him. And Pain said he killed him; who was the Amekage now?

"Gamakichi, do you know anything about Hanzou? Last question, I promise," Naruto said seriously.

The toad shuddered. "The Salamander is known to the toads. Jiraiya brought tales of the Salamander with him when he trained with the toad hermits, stories of a shinobi with unequaled power and skill." Gamakichi scratched his chin. "They say he was untouchable, a master of suiton ninjutsu, a user of foreign taijutsu. He also is said to be immune to genjutsu, something Jiraiya attributed to the strange face-mask he wears. More than that, I ain't got nothin', gaki." Gamakichi said with a frown. "You're not plannin' to fight him, are ya?"

Naruto shrugged. "Not alone, I hope. Thanks a lot, Gamakichi; you can go."

Gamakichi smiled. "No prob, kid. And did you ever wonder where their guards were, before you tried to think of ways to get in? How 'bout just… walkin' in?"

And the toad poofed away, the smoke muted by the rain.

Naruto sighed and got to his feet, turning to face Amegakure. Sure enough, there were no guards to be seen. For that matter, there were no guard towers, and the gate didn't appear to be manned. Without further ado, the blonde shinobi ran over to the gate and peeked into the village.

Tall, steel structures dominated the "village" if it could be called that. Naruto had never seen any place more densely built upon. In his awe, he leaned too heavily on the doors of the gate; soundlessly, they swung forward.

It took years of shinobi training to keep Naruto from yelling in surprise as he might have years ago, and he still wasn't able to keep in a small Hinata-esque meep. Gathering himself, he walked into the futuristic village which showed every sign of being culturally and technologically advanced and no sign at all of being inhabited. He also had no sensation of being watched.

His destination could only be the steel-grey tower which loomed in the distance in what was obviously the center of the village, so as sneakily as he felt it necessary Naruto made his way to that landmark.

The streets were eerily empty, intensifying the strange feeling that was growing in the pit of Naruto's stomach. He wasn't sure if anyone lived in this "village", but he should have seen some sign of habitation at this point. But there was just… nothing.

Then, it happened without warning. Looking back, Naruto was sure there was something he missed, but his friends assured him that there was nothing he could have done. He was, after all, only human.

For all his demonic powers and experience, yes, Naruto was only human, and after a swift and powerful jutsu focused at the tip of a shinobi's finger tapped the back of his neck, he collapsed to the ground, completely unconscious.

* * *

As the remnants of the strongest shinobi in Konoha gathered around a small fire Sasuke had thrown together, Sakura pulled a map from her pack and stared at it intently. Hinata, leaving her rations uneaten for the bugs and rodentia of the forest, moved next to Sakura, who explained to Hinata where they were and where they were headed in the unfamiliar territory.

Haku, meanwhile, sat quietly and snuck glances at Kira, who was eating and staring intently at her ration, as if it would leap out of her hands and make a break for the woods if she took her eyes off it. Finally, when he could stand it no longer, he stood up and sat next to Kira, startling her.

**  
SMACK **"Ouch!" Haku yelped, wiping some stray crumbs from his face.

"Ah! I'm sorry!" Kira exclaimed, reddening slightly. She watched as Haku cleaned himself up, then collected himself with a deep breath.

"Kira, you're going to return to Iwagakure soon, aren't you?" he blurted out suddenly.

Kira caught his eyes, which were staring intently at her, and averted her gaze to the ground. After a spell, she replied, "It's my home, and they are kind to me there."

"But isn't Konoha just as good?" Haku shot back. Kira looked at him, surprised, and he frowned. "Sorry; I didn't mean it to come out like that. I just-"

"You just want to give me a reason to stay," Kira finished softly.

"Yeah," Haku admitted. _Kami-sama be damned, but why her of all women? It could've been any red-haired, green-eyed jinchuuriki but NOOOOOOO, you fell for this one, _he scolded himself.

Then he froze as Kira leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder. "You're a pretty good reason, stupid. Don't worry about it, this will work out. For now, let's get that dopey future Hokage of yours back," she said comfortingly, covering her mouth as she yawned.

Haku grinned as the fire cackled as Sasuke came back from a habitual trip around their little camp. Maybe, just maybe, this would all work out and everything would be back to normal.

* * *

When Naruto finally awoke, it was as if no time had passed. However, certain things had certainly changed:

He was now chained to a wall.

The seals covering those chains were specifically warded to contain demonic chakra.

Naruto wondered briefly how he knew the seals could do that, since the slips of paper covering the chains were blank.

"That's to prevent that wonderful Shirugan of yours from altering those, and the many other seals, on those papers," a calm voice said, radiating serenity. Naruto shuddered involuntarily; he had never heard someone speak with more power laden behind every word.

"So you are..." Naruto asked the darkness, his question hanging in the air. A moment passed, and two red eyes came into view, followed soon by a man.

The most obvious feature of the man was definitely the freakishly huge breathing mask he wore which covered his entire head in clear plastic and metal. The robes he wore concealed whatever else he was wearing, but the man's eyes shone brightly through the mask.

"I am Hanzou. You may have heard me called 'The Salamander.' But to you, my names and aliases mean nothing, since you are soon to leave this world," the newly identified Hanzou stated calmly.

"Why? Obviously you need me for something or else you would have killed me instead of knocking me out!" Naruto yelled, straining at the chains and summoning as much chakra as he could. Surprisingly, his normally vast reserves seemed empty, and the attempt left him feeling mildly nauseated.

"No, Uzumaki-san, you'll warrant no villain's exposition from me. Suffice to say you have not long to live, so reconcile yourself with death in the time it takes for me to prepare myself," Hanzou replied as he turned his back to Naruto and strode away.

Naruto stared at the retreating robed back, then lowered his gaze and began to think. One thing was clear, though, that separated itself from all his other thoughts:

He had never before been so royally screwed, and with that unpleasant thought he drifted back into an exhausted state of semi-consciousness as he tried to come up with some sort of scheme...

* * *

_"Tree-hopping is essential for a shinobi or kunoichi, especially when perorming missions inside the Fire country, where forests are the prevalent landscape," Umino Iruka explained to his class of Academy students as they followed him to a training area reserved for the Academy and free from the destruction usually caused by Chuunin, Jounin, and some of the more talented Genin. As a result, the forest and its clearings were very beautiful; a prime example of untouched nature._

_"Now, watch and look closely at my leg muscles and feet, but don't forget to pay attention to my torso; keeping your upper body focused and relaxed will ensure that you keep your balance. Now: gather chakra, and jump from branch to branch. Don't worry about height, just keep going in a straight line and you won't have a problem," Iruka called down as his students watched in awe as he leapt from branch to branch around the clearing. "As soon as your foot touches the branch, push off by simply straightening your leg and giving your legs chakra..."_

Step. Push. Conserve your chakra and keep a straight line; don't worry about your teammates, they are on your line, just at different heights-

"Hinata-chan, slow down! If you keep going you'll be knocking on the gates!" Kira called urgently.

"Eh?" Hinata said, jolted from her thoughts and memories. Taking in her surroundings made her realize that she was maybe fifty meters from the forest's edge, after which the gate and wall to Amegakure loomed.

"Shouldn't it be raining or something?" Sakura asked, puzzled. Sasuke shook his head.

"Even though they call it Amegakure, I remember Orochimaru saying something about there being wet seasons and every now and then a dry season. They're known not because it rains all the time, but because they have a completely different climate than the rest of the surrounding area. I think it might because they use so much Suiton jutsu," Sasuke mused.

Haku groaned. "Can we just get inside please?"

Sakura looked at her companions and shrugged. Why not? How hard could it be?

Not too far away, Naruto was awoken by the sound of a door opening and closing. Two red eyes peered out from the darkness.

"Time to die, Uzumaki Naruto-san."

* * *

Well, that about wraps that one up. Next chapter will hopefully be larger, but it depends on how many words it takes to say what I'm desperately trying to say, so bear with me! See ya next time!


	42. The Beast Within

And here it is again! The One! The Onlyyyyyy:

UNDERDOG!

Ha-ha... no. After some late nights, many Amp energy drinks and some failed attempted to work circuitry, I, scarred and and burned, present one of the last chapters of True Strength! Yay!

Read on!

Chapter 42 – The Beast Within

Hanzou approached Naruto calmly and deliberately, not seeming to care in the slightest that aside from himself the most powerful shinobi in the world was tethered before him.

"I thought Pain killed you," Naruto said suddenly. He had been thinking for quite awhile, and had remembered something from many months ago.

_The leader raspe, "That's an interesting way to put it. My name is Pain, and I am from the village of Rain – Amegakure, once under the lordship of Hanzou, once under my lordship, though obviously no more."_

_Naruto glared. "You think to claim that Hanzou-sama was somehow defeated?"_

_Pain nodded."I killed him myself, by myself," he affirmed. "It was difficult, let me assure you, but I did kill him, along with his family, friends, and supporters to ensure that my ascension was complete..."_

Hanzou paused. "Ah yes, that fellow from Akatsuki; what was his name again?"

Naruto stared, dumbfounded. "Have you been paying any attention at all to the world around you? Where _were_you when Akatsuki essentially launched an attack that wiped out the villages of Grass and Konoha?"

Hanzou chuckled, and Naruto shivered, for there wasn't an ounce of mirth, mocking, or any other tone or emotion. It was an empty sound, cold and lifeless. "I could care less what happened to any village other than my own." He stared at Naruto for a moment, then shrugged and brought his hands together. "Well, this will all be over soon, so please keep quiet. There will be no pain, and when the process is completed you will know no more." Hanzou formed the ram seal, then deliberately began to form every seal in succession.

Naruto watched, then realized something without even needing his Shirugan. _He's using every seal that exists, and following some sort of order; it's a deliberate cycle, and he just repeats it over and over again... why?_

Then he felt a presence. Dimly, he became aware of a large entity coming into being above his head, though he couldn't get a sense of size nor could he crane his head high enough to see.

Then the world was rent before his eyes as the chakra in his body began to move. It was a hesitant tug at first, then without warning it seemed as though a tube had been inserted into Naruto and began to suck the chakra out of his body as painfully as possible.

He had experienced pain before. He had fought with the most powerful shinobi in the world and lived to boast of victory. He had trained under the Legendary Sannin Jiraiya, and had gotten stronger under one of the toughest teachers to mold chakra.

Naruto screamed, long and loudly, with all the pain of a lifetime of abuse, reject, sadness, and loss.

Hanzou raised one eyebrow, not one finger out of place nor one seal missed as he molded chakra. "Strange; this technique was supposed to take the chakra from your body painlessly and efficiently."

Screaming as he heard these words, yet more dread filled his mind. He tried to warn the legendary Salamander.

"YOU... IDIOT! THE KYUUBI AND I HAVE FUSED! HE DOESN'T EXIST AND THERE ISN'T ANY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MY CHAKRA AND DEMONIC CHAKRA! MY CHAKRA **IS DEMONIC**!" Naruto managed to force out in between yelps. The tug came again, and he let loose another bloodcurdling scream.

Hanzou nodded once, transferring smoothly from snake to rat to ox and onwards seamlessly. "Well, I guess that's an acceptable complication. More chakra will be taken then? This could work well," he mused, still leaving Naruto in the dark as to why such a powerful shinobi would need such chakra in the first place.

The tug pulsed.

And Naruto screamed in agony.

* * *

"Well, any bright ideas, Sasuke? Haku? Kira? Hinata? Helloooooo?" Sakura said with much exasperation, waving her hands towards the walls of Amegakure. "We've been sitting here forever! Naruto might need us right now!" she complained.

Sasuke sighed. "Sakura, even if we get in, how would we contact Naruto? And even then, by entering we might blow his cover. Naruto's here to spy and gather information without letting anyone know he's here, to a certain extent, not rape, loot, pillage, and burn the place to the ground," Sasuke explained, somewhat mockingly.

Haku settled into a more comfortable position on the ground they were sitting and grinned. "This is goin' be good," he remarked excitedly.

Kira jabbed his head, ignoring his yelp, and replied, "Well, why don't we infiltrate the village ourselves? I mean, its a start, and even if we get caught it will draw attention to ourselves and away from anyone else."

"Or it could backfire and draw attention to _everyone_that entered the village recently," Sasuke challenged. Sakura huffed in response and stood up, brushing off her pink outfit.

"Well, there's no use standing around. Let's go! Sasuke, pretend to be my husband. Haku and Kira, make something up. Hinata, you're regressing to your old self. Say something," Sakura ordered as she grabbed Sasuke by the neck of his black shinobi outfit and dragged him away, too stunned and embarrassed as he was to resist.

"I like Sakura's idea. God knows what trouble Naruto gets into when I'm not around," Hinata said finally and marched off after Sakura. Haku and Kira looked at each other, shrugged helplessly, and stuffed their Konoha hitai in their packs.

As the black-clad Sasuke led the way to the gate (Sakura refused to wear proper stealth gear, citing some fashion reason and genjutsu, while Haku insisted on a set of his old robes that were tailored to his size. Hinata settled for a modified version of traditional Hyuuga robes, to which Neji had to sneak past Hiashi, while Kira stuck with her red Iwa outfit), they noticed the same thing Gamakichi did:

"Hey – where the hell is... anyone?" Sasuke asked aloud puzzledly. Haku grinned.

"Sweet," he said, strutting up to the gates and pushing them open. His friends watched as he walked in, then stopped abruptly. They followed him in, and likewise froze.

The same skyscrapers and metallic buildings enveloped their view.

"This is a city..." Kira said in awe.

"But where are the people? I don't hear... anything! Not even dogs, or children... nothing..." Hinata said. "Byakugan!" she muttered intensely, scanning the city for chakra signatures.

"There's not even developed chakra in this place? Where the hell is everyone-" she began, then stopped suddenly. She stared intently for a moment, then her eyes widened. "Kami-sama..." she breathed.

"What? Do you see Naruto-kun?" Kira asked urgently. Hinata nodded frantically.

"I recognize his chakra, but something's happening! Another massive chakra signature is right near him, and Naruto's chakra is... moving or something..." Hinata reported.

"That must be Hanzou the Salamander!" Sasuke shouted, forgetting that they were supposed to be spies. "Shit!" he cursed as he made to take off; Hinata moved likewise.

Then Haku started. "Wait; I can hear something. Hinata, lead on, but everyone keep there eyes _and_ ears open."

Hinata took off, the rest of the group falling in behind her as she wove between the buildings. But after awhile, she stopped cold as a strange sound washed over their ears.

"Oh no..." Sakura whispered, tears threatening to leak out.

"Damn him," Haku muttered. "Hinata, MOVE IT!" He shouted, and Hinata wasted no time sprinting off, even faster than before.

As she ran behind Hinata, Kira felt something wet hit her face, lingering as it was blown away by the air she was displacing, no more than a passing testimony to the pain Hinata was feeling.

The sounds of Naruto's screams echoed louder and louder as they sped towards him

* * *

The pain went on as the tide does. Ebbing and flowing, it never really ends, but eventually low tide seems to be as a calm and relaxed ocean, as a high tide seems rough and tumultuous.

Naruto screamed again as high tide came in for a spell, then breathed harshly as the pain ebbed for a moment, giving Naruto a chance to gauge the change that was happening to his body. Ripping the demonic chakra from a half-demon can have some interesting effects after all.

As he took a toll on his body, Naruto became aware that, if anything, the demonic concentration of what chakra he had left was becoming more and more demonic, thickening and becoming denser. It was a gradual process, slow enough that his chakra coils were able to accommodate this change.

Then he felt another tug, but instead of pain he felt something shift inside him. Something that was familiar to him, but that had happened so long ago he had nearly fogotten...

"_Damn," Naruto muttered, twitching his new fox ears and sending his new ponytail of red-black hair to swaying. He reached around behind, sighing with audible relief as he felt no tail. He held up his new claws which were protruding from his fingers and flexed them experimentally, then slashed at the mirror. So fine were their edges that the mirror did not shatter, but instead was gouged with four lines._

However, before he could consider the ramifications of what he thought was happening the other tug overwhelmed his senses, and he knew no more, fainting as another roar of pain echoed around the chamber they were in.

* * *

"Hinata, you're speeding up again!" Sakura complained from the rear. "We've been running through this massive city for almost ten minutes! You have to take it easier or we won't be in any condition to help Naruto when we get there!"

"It stopped," she tossed back over her shoulder tersely, not relenting her pace at all.

Sakura glared at her friend's back before her eyes widened. _The screaming..._ she realized. _Naruto, if that was him, is either unconscious, or..._

"We're almost there. Be ready to kill when we get there – dammit," Hinata began, then swore as she encountered the first obstacle.

Before them was easily the tallest structure they had ever seen. Seemingly made entirely of metal, it stretched towards the sky to a height that made it seem, when one looked at the tip, as if it were perpetually falling towards the observer.

"Naruto-kun is inside?" Kira guessed.

"Below it," Sakura guessed, Hinata nodding, as well as Sasuke.

"I can see him now. Something's happening to his chakra," Sasuke said worriedly. "Let's go."

Kira ran over to what appeared to be an entrance and threw open the door. A single figure was positioned in the center of a large chamber. He turned at the sound of Kira's entrance.

"Well, well, this is a surpri-" he began to say, but his words were choked off by the slender hands of the Hyuuga heiress, who had leapt up and over his head, turning in the air to land behind him, facing the way she came in. Without any words, emotion, or visible expression at all, she placed her left arm around his neck and her right fist on the side of his jaw. Pulling her right arm towards _her_head yielded a resounding SNAP, and the man's eyes glazed over. Hinata released the man's head and was already moving away before the dust flew up as his body crumpled to the floor.

"This way," she said monotonously as she threw open a door and descended what appeared to be stairs.

Her friends hurried to catch up, stunned by the display of speed that Hinata had demonstrated.

"Did you see that, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked quietly as they walked down the metallic steps. Sasuke nodded.

"Fast as Lee; maybe as fast as Naruto," he whispered, shuddering. "I'd be hard pressed to move more quickly."

Then silence ruled, and revolt came only in the form of their feet on the stairs as they moved downwards. They descended for what seemed to be an eternity until they came upon another door. This too was flung open by Hinata, and they stepped into a dimly lit room. To Kira, Sakura, and Haku, the only presences were two: one taller man, his arms moving rhythmically, and another, chained and bound seemingly in empty air.

To Sasuke and Hinata, it was a nightmare. Chakra flew about the room like a storm, all of it tinged with an eery orange-red glow as it was sucked into the cavern above them, which looked as though it extended almost to ground level.

Before they could act, the un-bound man whom they assumed was Hanzou the Salamander clapped his hands together, the sound echoing about the cavern. The chained body lurched towards the standing man, then fell limply, supported only by the chains that bound him, which in turn dissipated. Sasuke watched as the metal literally melted from having been saturated in so much chakra. Naruto's body fell the rest of the way to the ground with a soft plop.

"And so you have arrived to witness the end of something you neither comprehend nor will ever understand. Are you pleased? Does this give you some sort of closure? Were you 'close' to this man?" Hanzou said aloud, not turning to face them. As the chakra faded from the room it began to brighten until the room's occupants became clear. Hanzou stood before them, facing Naruto who was seemed to be chained to a surface, his head-mask standing out amongst a simple cloak, bulges in which suggested the wearing of some sort of body armor.

Naruto did not move at all. No one moved a muscle except Hanzou. He turned to face the newcomers, and Sasuke gasped when he saw the red eyes of the Salamander. They were the same color as the Sharingan, and glowed, but lacked the familiar dotted iris of the fabled doujutsu. In fact, it seemed that as Naruto's Shirugan transformed his entire eye into a silvery blue, Hanzou's eyes were orbs of pure red, a small black dot in the center.

"I would allow you to leave with his body, but it is of such use to me, so regretfully I must ask you to leave empty handed," Hanzou continued.

Kira snarled, the nails on her hands lengthening slightly and green chakra gathering around her palms as her green eyes began to widen. Sakura and Sasuke, meanwhile, had to move away from Haku as the air around him became frigid, blue-white chakra visibly swarming around his form, hair flapping behind him.

Hinata bowed her head, then stared at Hanzou directly, Byakugan-white meeting crimson red.

"You killed Naruto-kun," Hinata said softly. She started to walk towards Hanzou, and Sasuke and Kira fell in on her flanks, Haku and Sakura trailing behind, Naruto's lesson on partner-fighting flooding back to them.

Hanzou nodded. "I assume then, very predictably, that you wish to kill me?"

Hinata nodded quietly, gathering chakra to her legs and hands. "Sasuke, Kira, Haku, Sakura, I'll be fine on my own. You do your thing, and kill this man before he utters another syllable."

Though she didn't turn around, she knew they were nodding. Now was not the time to grieve for the boy, now a man, who had done so much for them. Now _was _the time to end this man's life, and bring Naruto's body back to Konoha.

Hanzou smiled for the first time, though he did not say a word as the group charged and he let go the cloak about his body.

Kira moved with Sakura as they moved towards Hanzou. "Don't worry about protecting me; do what you can with ninjutsu, and I'll follow your movements," Sakura said to Kira, who nodded and stopped. She brought her hands together and began to prepare a technique.

Sasuke and Haku both were already several seals into their own ninjutsu. As they finished, their words reverberated throughout the cavern with power.

"**Katon: Karyuu Endan."**

"**Suiton: Suiryuudan."**

A dragon of ice that appeared more like quicksilver and a shear wall of flame erupted from the shinobi's mouths and launched themselves towards Hanzou with impressive speed.

Hinata had continued to walk straight towards Hanzou determinedly until she suddenly blurred from sight, only to reappear at his back. Before Hanzou's cloak hit the ground she had struck the Salamander in each kidney with a full-force jyuuken blow. Hanzou stumbled forward, choking.

"**Doton: Sokubaku."**Kira intoned, and the ground of the cavern lurched up and solidified around Hanzou's legs, immobilizing him. Sakura reached him then, and with a vicious uppercut launched the body-armor-clad Salamander into the the air. He flew forward into the path of the dragons, which impacted him in the chest. The resulting force from the opposite elements resulted in a blast of wind that knocked Hinata, who was right under the collision, back towards her teammates. She flipped with the force and landed facing Hanzou's direction in a crouch.

They watched as his body returned to the earth with a thud, dust poofing up then slowly dissipating.

Hanzou lay there for a moment, then got up slowly, stretching out his arms and legs. As the Konoha ninja watched in near-horror, he patted his lower back with a rap.

"Those strikes you made really hurt, though I can't say exactly the same for those jutsu you tossed around," he said conversationally, with the air of one who is an expert judge of the topic he speaks of.

Sasuke glared. "You're an idiot if you think we're going to be intimidated or turn tail and run until you're scattered around this room."

Hanzou smiled again. "But that's the best part," he said softly. His hands blurred.

"Now, it's my turn: **Suiton: Suiryuudan,"**he said softly, albeit ironically as the ice from Haku's jutsu melted and formed a larger dragon coiled around Hanzou.

Then, it disappeared. Simultaneously, Sasuke and Haku leapt away as the space they formerly occupied was ripped apart by the dragon's impact.

Hanzou was moving too, and he met the Uchiha and the osprey jinchuuriki halfway, striking before they could with a palm to each of their faces. Fast as the blows were, they both managed to block, Sasuke with his Sharingan and Haku with his demonic speed enhancing his already swift reactions. They countered simultaneously, driving their fists towards Hanzou's abdomen which were blocked as Hanzou brought his arms back to his chest, then swept them downward making a )( in the air, deflecting the blows wide. In retaliation he chambered his right knee, pivoting his left foot as he did so, and shot two side kicks in rapid succession. Sasuke was able to move in time, but Haku could only cross his arms in an attempt to block. The kick shattered his outside arm and sent him flying backwards to be caught by Sakura, who healed him swiftly and joined the fight.

Meanwhile, Kira finished her latest jutsu with the seal of the ram and whispered, **"Doton: Makai no Ishi."**The rocks around her feet began to shift, then swiftly erupted into the air around her. As the technique took effect, she concentrated her molded chakra as the stone was compressed with enough pressure to literally transform the rock into magma with the heat. Pushing her palms forward, she launched the lava towards Hanzou, directing it with her chakra.

At the same time, Sasuke had been repelled from Hanzou and had elected to use**Katon: Housenka no jutsu** to shoot small fireballs at the Salamander**, **who likewise was dodging attacks from Haku and now Sakura. Sasuke was able, with the Sharingan, to predict the three combatants' movements and place his attacks where they would hinder Hanzou and help Sakura and Haku the most. But the red-eyed man moved like the water and attacked with the swiftness of the fastest river, and it was all Sakura and Haku could do to strike, parry, and counter without getting hit. Hinata too joined the fray, slicing outside of Hanzou's range with her chakra beams; however, these were likewise avoided with unnatural grace.

Then, sensing Kira's technique, the four leapt away from each other, Haku forming seals, Sakura racing to heal Sasuke's minor fracture from being repulsed earlier, and Hanzou forming a jutsu of his own. Muttering something which sounded to Haku's enhanced hearing like **"Kiri no Kabe,"** mist coalesced in the air around him and in front of him. As the magma hit, the mist instantly imploded around each fragment, simultaneously expanding and cooling the rock while halting its motion. Not even caring to ensure his technique's completion, he launched into another series of seals, ending with bird.

"**Suiton: Daibakufu no jutsu!"**he yelled, matching the force of the jutsu with the volume of his harsh and guttural voice. Out of the air water was gathered into a massive whorl, which launched itself en masse at the Konoha ninja. It filled the cavern, leaving them with no choice but to gather their chakra in defense and attempt to block or resist the jutsu. Kira formed a quick seal and slammed her hands into the ground, raising a curved dome of dirt and stone around herself, while Haku and Sasuke formed seals of their own. Hinata poised herself, rotating her arms with such speed that they could no longer be individually distinguished, and Sakura rushed headlong at the cyclone of water, palms loaded with so much chakra that her hands were burning. As she met the water she flung her palms forward and struck, releasing the chakra in an instant into the wall.

However, such was the jutsu's strength that only a small hole was opened, which proved to be insufficient, and Sakura was swept backwards, chakra-laden water eating at her body. Sasuke had enacted his own fire jutsu in an attempt to replicated Sakura's idea, but the flames were eaten away and Sasuke likewise was launched backwards.

Haku attempted to escape into a mirror of ice, but it was instantly blasted into shards, which served only to shred him as they were caught up with him in the torrential storm of chakra and water.

Of the five, only Kira and Hinata were unharmed. Without taking notice of their companions, they ran towards the Salamander who had summoned a small group of water clones, and together with the original in their midst they met the kunoichi. In a flurry of combat, Sakura, Sasuke, and Haku were all knocked unconscious by the clones who fought as well as Narutp's , but Sakura recovered quickly and healed the more serious chakra burns which covered her body, then ran to Sasuke and Haku's forms to heal their burns, and in Haku's case, bleeding wounds.

Hinata attacked with all her speed, slicing at Hanzou with her personalized form of the jyuuken hakkeshou, complementing Kira's alien taijutsu of quick, brurtal strikes delivered in rapid succession. Yet Hanzou blocked and dodged, moving his larger mass seemingly effortlessly, and struck back with lightning fast blows, his arms rippling like water. And finally, Hanzou's foot extended and caught Kira unbalanced, sinking into her stomach and winding her. She let out a small gasp and fell to the ground as Hanzou re-chambered his leg and spun away from Hinata's strikes, which increased in their activity. She afforded a small bit of attention to the peripheral of her sight with the Byakugan and saw that Sakura was still healing Haku's wounds, while Sasuke was still lying flat, though his red Sharingan was open.

Forgotten, Naruto hung. A ripple, unnoticed by the others, passed through his body as his muscles spasmed.

After Hanzou dodged yet another combo of slashes, Hinata gave in to her frustration and gathered her chakra.

"**Kaiten!"**she yelled, and at last Hanzou was forced away by the torrent of chakra which exploded from her petite form and swirled around her in a small form, extending further and further outward. Finally, it stopped, and Hanzou ceased his retreat twenty meters from Hinata, who was now labored in her breathing.

Naruto twitched, his eyes fluttering. Were anyone watching him closely, they would have noticed flashes of red beneath his eyelids.

Hanzou observed the Konoha ninja with just the slightest hint of regret. "You know, it is a shame that such wonderful talent will be wasted on a cause for which there is no victory. Perhaps you shall reconsider? Turn away; go home to your village and live out the time you have left."

A glaring Hinata snarled. "Isn't that the point? Aren't you just going to..." She paused, her sentence dying half-finished in the air before them. Having no clue as to Hanzou's intentions, she couldn't really accuse him of anything.

In her field of vision, she caught sight of Naruto, the only man she had ever loved from the time she was a small child till now. Behind her, Sasuke groaned and struggled to his feet, supported by Haku.

Hinata s cursed softly, willing the tears that threatened to fall to stay where they were until this man was dead and scattered in pieces about the cavern. Maybe then-

KABOOM

Suddenly, the ground shook them all to their knees as a massive explosion rocked the cavern. When her vision stopped blurring, Hinata's eyes immediately went to where Naruto's body lay still.

Or rather, _was_. Now it thrashed and convulsed uncontrollably, and this time the tears did fall, pooling around Hinata's feet as Naruto's body was enveloped in reddish-orange chakra. A foul presence washed over them, putting a nasty taste in their mouths and making them sick to their stomachs. Behind Hinata, Sakura retched and emptied her rations onto the cavern floor.

"Shit... what the hell is this? I thought the Kyuubi was gone for good?" Sasuke asked, panting heavily as a wave of distorted evil washed over him.

Kira stared, open-mouthed in horror, at Naruto's convulsing form. Then, she screamed and pointed.

"Look! He's alive!" she shouted, for lack of a better phrase.

Hinata slammed her white sleeve across her eyes, scratching away the tears and clearing her view. There!

Naruto indeed had risen to his feet. Hunched over, his hands dangled limply, he bowed his head to his chest.

Then, he straightened so quickly Hinata heard his spine snap as it formed a curve as Naruto threw his head back and screamed so loudly that it forced them to their knees once again as it destroyed their sense of balance with the sheer force of the compressed waves of air. The demonic chakra wrapped around Naruto's form, obscuring it like miniatured storms.

A bulge formed on the top of his head, and his scream reached new levels of loudness as the top of his head sprouted fox ears. His hair exploded with growth and reached his waste, hanging about his face in shaggy locks. His eyes, already turned red, warped and formed the Shirugan, substituting red orbs for blue and a black pupil where once was silver. His hands lengthened, and his fingernails elongated into steely claws. To top off the transformation, nine tails exploded from his lower back, seemingly formed of a combination of fur and chakra.

He roared, and Hanzou leapt away as a small beam of concentrated chakra exploded from Naruto's mouth, exposing fangs as it loosed the blast, which impacted on the far wall and ripped it to shreds of rock and earth, shaking the cavern so that bits of shrapnel fell from the high ceiling.

Hinata stared, oblivious to the debris falling about her (and on her), as Naruto's yell gradually ended, drainging even he of breath to the point of suffocation. He pulled back, inhaling deeply, and roared once more, though this time the chakra was released in a wave of force that impacted the cavern ceiling and shook larger chunks of rock away from the wall.

"HINATA! MOVE!" Haku yelled as he picked up Kira, who had been rendered unconscious by Naruto's scream, and ran for the exit.

"We have to leave! RUN!" Sakura echoed, running after Sasuke. Hinata stared for just a second longer at Naruto, then turned and fled for the way they came in.

The sounds of their labored breathing bounced off the walls of the narrow stair as they pounded up towards the surface, grim thoughts of Naruto's transformation.

"Wait – a – second..." Hinata choked out as they reached the door to the lobby where they came in. But as the building shook again, Sasuke grabbed her hand and pulled her into the entrance where the corpse of the man they had killed as they came in still lay. Ignoring the smell which had already developed they fled to the entrance of the tall metal structure they had just experienced hell in.

"Listen! This happened once! A long time ago!" Hinata protested. The team stopped midway through the door, panting.

"What do you mean?" Haku asked.

"Before we even met you and Haku-kun, after we found Sasuke, Naruto had overused his chakra and passed out. When he woke up in the hospital, he was changed, and it kind of looked like he does... like he does now. Only, it wasn't as destructive, and his Shirugan didn't stay red," Hinata explained in a rush.

Haku stared. Then: "Hinata, I didn't get a word of that, and I don't think repeating it will help. Could you slow down, and use smaller words?" he pleaded, and despite the depravity of the situation Sakura had to stifle a small giggle.

"It means that this has happened before," Kira moaned softly, shifting in Haku's arms.

"Kira! Don't move, let me heal you," Sakura cried, moving to place her hands on her head. Kira sighed happily as Sakura used her jutsu to restore the homeostasis to Kira's inner ear.

"Ah! Much better, I can stand now!" Kira exclaimed as she twisted gracefully out of Haku's grasp and onto her two feet.

"Hinata, you look pensive," Sasuke observed quietly. "What are you thinking?"

Hinata turned to Sasuke. "The same thing you are. Apparently, last time Naruto transformed because of chakra depletion. When we got down to the cavern, it looked like he was dead; he even had that last bit of chakra that a ninja has right after they die. But what if that wasn't the 'last signature'? What if it was a signal that the same thing was going to happen again?" she said hurriedly

Sasuke shook his head. "Last time, Naruto still had the Kyuubi sealed within him, or at least a portion of the demon's chakra still resided in him. After that, Naruto got _all_the Kyuubi's chakra, and his nature pretty much became demonic."

"No, that's not true," Sakura jumped in, wincing a little as the ground rumbled again. "Naruto said that his nature was going to gradually transform, and until then he could still use wind-natured chakra and demonic nature. His chakra was still 'human'."

Hinata frowned. "So..." she drawled. Then, she gasped. "Shit!"

Grimacing, Sakura whined, "Oh, now what?" she complained. Sasuke put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed; Sakura turned to meet his eyes. "What? What am I missing?"

"Hinata and I couldn't see Naruto's chakra because Hanzou was sucking it out of him. But what that jutsu was designed for was probably regular old 'human-natured' chakra, unmolded and unchanged. But Naruto's chakra wasn't all human... it was about half-demonic, and when I say half of Naruto's chakra I mean maybe Kira's entire chakra or Haku's entire chakra. So the jutsu probably forcibly ripped Naruto's chakra from him, which was made even worse since demonic chakra is almost nothing like a human's," Sasuke said. Realization struck Kira.

"Naruto was left with nothing but demonic chakra, and it was suppposed to be a gradual change! When he had nothing left, his body reacted last time! Now...," she trailed off.

"Now it's much worse." Surprised, they all turned to Haku, who huffed and looked away. "I'm not stupid, y'know."

And for about the umpteenth time that day, it seemed, the ground ripped apart. The perpetrator of this particular explosion was none other than the Salamander himself or, rather, his body, as it was hurled through what the Konoha nin could only assume to be the ceiling and whatever was between that and the ground.

Naruto came out of the hole he created, falling gently back to the ground and immediately stalking towards his opponent.

Sasuke looked at the battling pair for a moment and grinned when Naruto was blown away by a suiton jutsu. He turned to his friends.

"Shall we?" he offered, as if setting up a fine exhibition for them to survey.

Haku grinned and ran towards the fight, Sasuke trailing behind. Sakura, Kira, and Hinata nodded once and set off behind them, a green glow illuminating Sakura's palms.

_Naruto..._Hinata thought, _We're here to help!_

* * *

So I'm pulling a classic Shonen maneuver: The wait-until-the-next-chapter/episode-to-see-the-rest-of-the-fight trick! (Ah-HAAA!)

Ah, so, I am eagerly awaiting the posting of the next chapter myself, but till then, bask in the demonic evil that is Naruto and pray for he and his teammates, because I'm seriously contemplating having Hanzou win.

Heh-heh... ja!


	43. A War to End All Wars

So, rather than end it with one enormous chapter, I've decided to throw this one at you and do the last on in a way that came to me at the very end of writing this one, so hang in there for just one more! Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 43 – A War to End All Wars

Sasuke had believed that when Naruto had been blown away that it was a sign that he could use help. After all, nothing sucked more in the ninja world than standing on the sidelines watching two other ninja fight, presumably because the two fighting ninja were that much stronger and to jump in was hopeless, paramount to suicide.

The others shared his sentiments, and ran over to Naruto who was picking himself up off the ground and dusting himself off, no lasting injuries visible on his form.

"Naruto-kun! Are you-" Hinata began to ask, but was cut off immediately.

"**Of course I am. What do you think you all are going to do in this fight?**" he asked with a rumble, his voice distorted and deeper than usual.

Haku glared. "Hey! Just 'cause you're really freakin' weird-lookin' right now doesn't mean you can-" but he too was silenced by Naruto matching his glare with one better. The now-red-haired Uzumaki turned away and stalked back towards the Salamander.

"**Idiot. Who would talk in the middle of a war?**" Naruto questioned aloud, flicking his tail as if to punctuate the statement. He paused, then: "**If you think you can help, do so, but things happen in war. Understand that you have a very good chance of dying here.**"

Kira stared at the fox-demon man that was now forming seals and shouting, **"**_**Kuchiyose no jutsu!**_**"** Instantly a humongous cloud of smoke appeared, dissipating to reveal four toads as big as Naruto, all wearing samurai armor and wielding kodachi. They all planted their blades in the ground and began to focus. Naruto drew his own two blades seemingly from nowhere with an accompanying flash of red, then hurled himself towards Hanzou. _When did he become such a jerk?_ Kira thought grouchily as she readied herself for a battle.

Hinata stared as well, but snapped out of it and yelled, "Well, come on! Let's kill this bastard and get this over with." Running towards the Salamander, who was currently engaged in combat with Naruto and keeping up remarkably well, she focused the chakra in her palms and shot it at Hanzou in repeated bursts, maximizing the diameter of her beams as much as she could without burning holes through her palms. The first beam caught Hanzou by surprise, and belatedly she wished she had taken more careful aim. Instead of a death shot she hit his lung, and while the damage was severe the Salamander was still able to keep up with Naruto and dodge her subsequent shots and, when that failed, slices. Cursing, Hinata abandoned her ranged attack and went in to a Jyuuken rush, complementing Naruto's attacks as best she could, for though they had trained for this moment Naruto was not attacking in any familiar way, and it was all Hinata could do to take advantage of the openings he left in his wake and cover him when he left himself vulnerable.

Sakura joined Naruto as well, and while she was used to fighting back to back with Kira she was also able to add her blows to the mix. Since her punches had enhanced strength, she had to be extra careful in her movements and plan further ahead than Naruto, who could predict movements with his experience and Shirugan but was seemingly relying on sheer reaction speed, and Hinata, whose Jyuuken allowed her more time to react after blows.

Suddenly, Naruto broke off his attack and leapt away from Hanzou. Sakura and Hinata, confused, also leapt away. As they did so, they saw the four toads had moved to surround Hanzou. They slammed their blades into the ground again, then pounded them with the flat of their... paws. The impact shuddered the ground and split it apart, sending debris flying at Hanzou leaving no room for escape.

His cry was muffled by the moving earth, but it soon became apparent what he had shouted when a small tsunami erupted around the epicenter of the rock storm, blocking all the rocks. Another surge of chakra was felt by Naruto, and he leapt aside as another jutsu went off and the tsunami exploded, sending concentrated spikes of water at random as well as the rocks that the toads had fired off. The toads had no chance, so Naruto simply allowed them to dispel themselves, releasing the mental hold he had on their existence in this world. Rushing at the Salamander, he drew forth his dual kodachi and went into a flurry of motion, slashing and swiping at the fluid Hanzou who, as he dodged, rushed through seals and planted his palms into the ground. Without even waiting to see the effects of the jutsu, Naruto leapt away again as water exploded from the ground in spiraling spikes. As the water turned outwards Naruto felt a huge surge of chakra sweep around him and impact the tendrils of water, freezing them and turning them to ice. Immediately afterward a powerful Housenka no jutsu (Phoenix Flame) crashed into the ice, causing it to explode in shards and inflicting minor wounds on Hanzou. He growled, but Sasuke and Haku weren't letting up. They formed seal after seal, launching jutsu after jutsu at the Salamander but were unable to pierce his defenses, even when Kira joined the fray. Sakura and Hinata ran down to where Naruto watched the storm of elemental chakra calmly, demonic chakra swirling about his person.

When Hinata and Sakura reached him, he reached out and placed a clawed hand on each of their heads. Immediately, demonic chakra scorched their bodies. Ignoring their winces, Naruto launched himself at Hanzou. The two girls watched as Naruto waded safely into the fray, unaffected by the storm of jutsu surrounding Hanzou, who had surrounded himself in what appeared to be a shield of chakra-soaked water which cloaked his being like a small aura. He began to exchange blows with Naruto, the blonde's sweeping knife-edge and open-palm strikes met with unyielding parries and counterattacks. Sakura shrugged and ran after Naruto, Hinata following her, both trying to ignore the pain and the fact that Naruto's cloak of the fox was eating away at their chakra.

The fight became a war of attrition, with Sasuke, Haku, and Kira struggling to bring down Hanzou's chakra reserves and Sakura, Hinata, and Naruto attempting to break the Salamander's concentration. But for all their efforts, the man was too well prepared. He had stolen the vast majority of Naruto's chakra and would be able to fuel the water shield almost indefinitely. Furthermore, his speed and strength were unlike anything the ninja had ever seen, and his taijutsu was unfamiliar to all of them.

Finally, Hanzou caught Sakura unawares. Catching her fist as it hurtled towards his solar plexus, he redirected to his left. Immediately, with the same hand he used to deflect her blow, he struck her under her chin, the force of his counter driving her off her feet and directly at the steady stream of fire and ice mixed with stone projectiles. The jutsu collided with the pink-haired kunoichi, draining her of her chakra and ending the cloak of the fox Naruto had transferred to her.

When Hinata saw this, she broke off her attack and scrambled to get Sakura off the battlefield. Naruto quickly formed a quick seal, and demonic Kyuubi kage bunshins formed around him and rushed Hanzou. Distracted by the overpowered shadow clones he couldn't stop Naruto from rushing to Sakura's aid as well, nor do anything about the three ninjutsu users who halted their attacks as well.

Sasuke punched Naruto lightly, who growled in response, as they hunched over Sakura's still form.

"Why haven't you used the Hiraishin no jutsu with your Shirugan yet?" he complained. "This would've been over a long time ago!"

Naruto glared at him. "**Don't be stupid, Uchiha. If I could have, I would have. But no matter how hard I try I can't get the chakra to flow through these eyes, nor activate the seal I placed on his facemask the minute I saw him in the cavern."**

Haku blinked. "Wait, when... never mind. Does any part of the Shirugan work?"

"**Of course. I can see everything I normally could, but the seals are gone. I can't use them anymore. Not only that, but I didn't bring any of the special kunai with me," **Naruto said quietly. He stretched out as Hanzou watched them passively, seemingly not caring whether they were attacking or planning or simply shooting the breeze.

Naruto shrugged, an idea forming in his head. "**Well, there is one thing left. We've tried just about everything, but not this. I think..." **and he formed the seal for kage bunshin no jutsu.

Sakura saw what he was doing and felt her stomach drop out. "Naruto, get serious!" she exploded. "We don't have time for your stupid unpredictable shit right now!"

Sasuke laughed as dozens of demonic Naruto's came into being and launched themselves at Hanzou who, like so many before him, took the bait and began to eliminate them using various area-affecting ninjutsu that are called for in many-versus-one situations.

Naruto chuckled. **"Go back to the beginning."**

Sakura just stared at him dumbly, jumping when Kira placed her hand on her shoulder.

"If it helps, we're all kind of lost here too?" she offered, her tone conveying the sincerity of her confusion.

Gasping, Hinata giggled. "I see now. Do you really think it will work, Naruto-kun?"

The demonic blonde laughed once and readied himself. Then he turned and looked her in the eye and said smugly:

"**No."** and he flew towards the crowd of massacred bunshins, adding more to the fray

Suddenly, Haku perked up and stared in the general direction of the entrance to Amegakure. "Someone's coming. Actually, a _lot_ of someones are coming!"

"Konoha! Konoha is here!" Sakura exclaimed. "Should we go meet them?"

"Hell no," Sasuke snorted. "They'll find us easily, I'm guessing, judging by the racket Naruto is making."

And indeed, large explosions were plentiful in the battle now taking place invisible to the team of elite ninja. Smoke obscured their vision and Sasuke and Hinata were unable to see through the torrent of chakra.

Suddenly, an explosion unlike any before it rocked the ground and drove the smoke away to reveal Naruto standing at a deadlock with Hanzou, his kodachi held in the Salamander's bloody grip, neither able to overpower the other.

"It's over... child..." Hanzou said, slightly out of breath. "So this is how it ends when you finally face someone with as much chakra as yourself," he taunted. With a heave he threw his weight backwards, rolling onto his back and kicking up at Naruto, who was too stunned to do anything other than hold on to his blades and fall forward with him. Naruto flew over Hanzou's head, and as he reached the apex of the motion Hanzou yanked, pulling Naruto down and himself up, driving his feet again into Naruto's stomach. Hanzou twisted in midair, using Naruto as a counterbalance to get around to Naruto's back. He kicked once more, this time at the ground, and the blonde hit the debris below with a deafening slam, coughing up a large quantity of blood.

As Hanzou hit the ground in a crouch, Naruto grinned at him. "**You missed one.**"

And the blonde's form was engulfed in a burst of smoke.

Cursing, Hanzou whipped around and delivered a vicious uppercut to Naruto, who had exploded from the ground behind him, rasengan in hand. Reeling, the jinchuuriki coughed up blood once more.

And exploded in a poof of smoke. The Salamander pivoted on his foot, driving his elbow into the blonde mat of hair that was flying up at him from the ground again. Such was the force of his blow that the skull cracked beneath Hanzou's strike.

As Naruto's head was driven back into the ground by the blow, his form melted away, and he exploded in a poof of smoke.

And resignation was the last thing Hanzou felt as Naruto, who had never disappeared but merely released a henge of himself that was a small modification of his current demonic appearance, drew forth the nine tails with his chakra and thrust them into the Salamander's back. Naruto howled with victory, and the tails pulsed as red fire raced through them and incinerated the body till nothing remained.

As the Salamander died, he felt no pain. He also detected a small trace of acceptance at his fate, as if he was paying the fiery price for tampering with demons.

_Such is the will of fire._

And then he knew no more.

"Y'know Naruto, we could've learned a lot from his mind," a voice said reprovingly. Almost as one the six friends turned to see Tsunade and an impressively large force of shinobi and kunoichi behind her.

"**True. What's with t**he backup**?**" Naruto rumbled, ignoring Sakura's elbow to his ribs and the accompanying nag, "Be nice!" Tsunade stared at him, noticing the change in his voice from oddly deep to somewhat normal.

"Well, when I told them that the Rokudaime was in trouble, they couldn't wait to hit the road." She grinned. "You'll do well, kid." Then she took in his appearance. "But we'll have to do something about that hair. And when was the last time you cut your nails?"

Naruto grinned as he turned to his companions. "Well? Shall we?" he said grandly, gesturing towards Tsunade and Kakashi, who had poked his head out from the crowd with a customary "Yo!"

Kira, Haku, and Hinata giggled at Naruto's mockery of Sasuke, and even Sakura had to stifle a grin. Sasuke just smirked and strode ahead; Naruto caught up, and they pounded fists.

* * *

"So," Naruto asked Tsunade, sidling up to her, Hinata in tow. The second the danger had passed, she had latched onto his side and had refused to let him out of her sight on their trek back to Konohagakure.

"Naruto-kun, I can't keep you out of trouble when your out of my sight, but I can't even keep up with you when your _in _my sight, and that's saying something since I can see everywhere at once. It's not fair!" she complained, latching onto his arm.

And that was that.

"So, what kept you, Tsunade? I figured you were hot on my heels, but I was expecting Konoha's best to make it here a bit sooner," Naruto drawled, flicking his foxy ears absentmindedly.

"I'm sure you found it odd that Amegakure was empty?" she retorted. Sakura snorted.

"You can't be serious."

The Godaime looked at her as a cow looks at an oncoming train.

Sakura paled. "You're joking! The entire village? You fought an entire village?"

Tsunade looked up at the sky. "They had been placed under some sort of genjutsu. We estimate that we had to kill at least a third of them before Itachi figured out a way to dispel it."

Naruto looked at the ground. "Where are they now? Do they know that Hanzou is dead?" His ears flicked again, this time of their own accord.

"Yes. I figured that once your team caught up with you, you would be able to make short work of a single shinobi. I told them to bury their dead and return to Amegakure with some escorts. They're a broken people; I wonder if they will recover from these losses," Tsunade said speculatively. She watched Naruto's ears. "And do you ever plan on explaining your appearance, or are you just going to leave your superior in the dark?"

Naruto just laughed. "The bastard Salamander took all of my remaining human chakra. All of my chakra is demonic now, perpetually natured that way." He raised an imaginary glass. "Here's to hoping it'll change back."

"Wait a sec, why 'perpetually'? Won't you regenerate... _human_ chakra and balance out the other stuff?" Haku protested. But Naruto shook his head.

"I don't generate human chakra. Ever since the Kyuubi and I fused, I've been somewhere between demon and man. Now that my chakra is demonic..." he left his statement hanging.

"We'll run some tests. I'm sure the doctors and researchers would love to get their hands on you," Tsunade replied. Naruto shivered involuntarily.

Meanwhile, Sasuke was interrogating Itachi.

"You figured out a counter to that mind-genjutsu?" he pestered.

Itachi sighed. "Yes."

"How?" the younger Uchiha pressed.

Itachi glanced out of the corner of his eye into Sasuke's. What did he see? Eagerness? Curiosity? He felt his own enthusiasm for a new jutsu start to stir.

"Well, it was actually pretty simple. Once I figured out how the chakra lattices were formed inside the affected brain, it was a simple matter to..."

From a distance away, amongst the throng of shinobi and kunoichi marching towards Konoha, Sakura watched the brothers discuss the finer points of genjutsu, smiling softly as the familiar forests of Konoha surrounded them. A collective cheer was roused among the soldiers of Konoha, ragged at first, but it gained momentum as it spread through the crowd like a wildfire.

_It's good to be home._

* * *

The doctor straightened and turned away from Naruto on the operating table and watched as readouts spilled from the machine, nodding excitedly.

"Well, doc?" Naruto called from his prone position. "What's the deal?"

"Hush Naruto, let the kind lady work," Hinata admonished softy, running a hand through his spiky crimson hair, careful to avoid his new pointed ears. _That will take some time getting used to,_ she thought absentmindedly.

The doctor turned about suddenly. "I have wonderful news!" she practically yelled. Naruto cringed, but Hinata simply grinned.

"So he's going to be fine?" she asked hopefully. The medical kunoichi nodded vigorously.

"In fact, he looks to be in better shape than ever. From what you told me, the experience must have been extremely painful, but in the long run I think you'll benefit from it. And the ears are just adorable!" she exclaimed, oblivious to Hinata grumbling under her breath or Naruto's blush and involuntary jerk towards his ears.

"Speaking of which," Naruto began hesitantly, begging the question. However, the doctor sobered immediately.

"Ah. Well, as to that, Naruto-san, I'm afraid there is nothing we can do to reverse the process. The only cases we have as a precedent to yours are failed transformation jutsu where the chakra was molded incorrectly or the jutsu was held for too long, resulting in permanent damage. In every case, the change was irreversible by any means. When you get injured, your demonic chakra regenerates the damage instantly, but I feel that that same chakra was what's responsible for this change," the doctor explained. At Naruto's troubled look, she smiled.

"But that shouldn't be a problem for the Rokudaime Hokage, neh? Feel better, Naruto-san, you'll be discharged from the hospital this afternoon!" And the doctor fled from the room.

Naruto stared after her, a warm feeling spreading through his limbs. _Who would have thought that after all those years of being rejected as a demon monster that the appearance of a fox-boy would be nothing to worry about, even 'adorable'..._ he thought to himself.

Then the neurons in his brain were overloaded for a few seconds. When Hinata pulled away, her lips tugging gently on his, he looked into her eyes to see overwhelming relief, as well as a few tears.

"It's over, isn't it, Naruto-kun? Is all this sadness finally over? Can we go back to being normal ninja?" she pleaded. Naruto laughed, pulling her onto the operating table with him so that she could bury a sobbing Hyuuga visage into his black vest more comfortably.

"Hinata-chan, I don't think we were ever 'normal' ninja. But yeah," he affirmed as he rubbed her back gently. "It's over," as her sobs quieted and she fell asleep. Seeing this, he let his head fall back on the table and contemplated the answer to life, the universe, and everything.

Outside, the doctor watched them with sympathetic eyes, then turned to the group of people standing outside. "He's resting now, so you'll have to come back another time."

"That's fine! We'll just wait here until he wakes up then!" a voice yelled out, followed by sounds of a mild scuffle and several "shhhh!'s". The doctor just laughed and turned to move down the hall to tend to the other injuries from the battle with Amegakure.

* * *

When Naruto awoke, he was aware of a curious sensation. He realized that it was the prickly feeling one gets from being watched. Wondering why his excessively heightened senses weren't amplifying this sensation to its 'normally' ridiculous degree, he opened his eyes.

He almost fell off the bed with shock when he realized how many people were in the room with him.

Then he did fall off the bed when he realized that he was in a bed and not the hospital operating table.

"Wha... who... why... uh... lemons?" he spluttered in supreme confusion. He shook his head and collected his wits about him. "Hinata?" he managed to squeeze out. He rubbed his eyes, but found that his hands were being pushed away by softer, slimmer ones and his eyes were dabbed at with the most wondrously cool cloth it had ever been his pleasure to come into contact with. He sighed with contentedness at the little things in life, accepting his luck when the cloth was taken away. He opened his eyes once more, cleared of the prejudices of sleep, and took his his surroundings, extending his shinobi senses and employing his Shirugan, which he realized was activated once again.

He was in his home, that much was certain from the various traps set with the Shirugan which gave off very distinct chakra signatures. Turning his attention back into his room, he took stock of its contents.

Hinata was kneeling in front of him, watching his reactions and observations fondly, as a mother watches her child at play. He smiled at her as his gaze lingered on her pearl eyes, then continued his journey around the room.

Kira and Haku watched him, seeming to only barely control fits of laughter at his confusion. As his gaze drifted to them, he noticed that they stood a little _too_ close together. Seeing that their hands were entwined, he nodded to himself with a small grin and moved on.

Sasuke looked him right in the eye, Sharingan meeting Shirugan once more. A world of feeling and understanding passed between the two, the type of silent communication they shared known only to those who have suffered immeasurable hardship together and strode through it confidently despite the challenges. They nodded to each other, nothing more than a slight inclination of the head.

Naruto watched as Sakura rolled her emerald eyes at seeing this little exchange, though she was able to recognize its significance. She tightened her arm as it wound through the younger prodigal Uchiha's. Naruto grinned cheekily at her, bringing to Sakura's mind a small child who has just played a practical joke and got away scot-free with it. Without being able to help herself, she smiled in return.

Over the heads of his friends, Naruto saw several other faces. Tenten stood by her father, Busho the weaponsmith, and waved when he noticed her. Busho simply raised his eyebrows and looked at him questioningly, to which Naruto nodded with a huge smile in affirmation of the successful use of the kodachi. Satisfied, Busho allowed a large grin to encompass his face.

The final pair of eyes he encountered didn't exist, as one of the eyes was hidden by a mask. Kakashi and Iruka, his teachers, watched as Naruto stared at them dumbly. Kakashi's eye tightened in a smile, and Naruto could almost hear it before the White Fang said it:

"Yo!"

Naruto shook his head, fighting a huge smirk but eventually giving in. He rose to his feet and mingled with his friends who had come to make sure he was going to wake up. A yell of indignation rose from the fox-like shinobi when he found out he had slept for two whole days.

"We had to move you, see. It was really troublesome, but the Hokage insisted that we take care of it," Shikamaru drawled as he pounded Naruto's fist, smiling ever so slightly.

"Yeah, but then Chouji just used his multi-size jutsu!" Ino exclaimed. "It was pretty easy after that," she added, tossing her hair and winking at the massive Akimichi, who tossed Naruto a double thumbs-up and a grin, which was matched.

"NARUTO!" another voice called out. "ONCE AGAIN I AM IMPRESSED WITH YOUR YOUTHFUL VIGOR!"

Naruto braced himself for a multiple skeletal fracture, and was thus surprised when Lee hugged him gently, then danced away.

Seeing Naruto's puzzled look, Lee elaborated, "Gai-sensei insisted that I be gentle with you, Naruto-kun, until you are well again and can safely receive a beating in our rematch."

Naruto laughed. "You're on, fuzzy-brows. You're on." Lee grinned, and then he was gone.

As Naruto talked and laughed with his friends and, truly, his family, two absences struck him. The first and most obvious was Inuzuka Kiba, who had fallen in battle against the Akatsuki during their invasion of Konoha. While his loss hurt, Naruto knew that Kiba would not have wanted him nor Akamaru to be remembered in sadness, and so, with a mental wink to his old friend, Naruto moved on.

But when everyone had left promising to meet him at Ichiraku's for lunch the next day, Naruto sat next to Hinata on his low bed in the house and leaned his head on her shoulder.

"I miss him," he said after a moment's silence.

Hinata thought for a moment. "You mean Jiraiya?" she asked softly, and felt him nod in confirmation.

"Did you ever read his letter?" she asked. When she felt him stiffen, she thought she had said something wrong, but then Naruto moved away from her, kissed her fiercely then, taking advantage of her momentary daze, ran over to his wardrobe full of shinobi outfits and rummaged around until he withdrew a scrap of paper and a pin. Before Hinata could stop him, he had pricked his finger and was writing a seal in blood, focusing his chakra .

"You sealed it with a blood seal?" Hinata asked when she realized what he was doing. He shook his head.

"I sealed it with the Shirugan, but since I can't write seals with it anymore," he paused as he finished the seal, which began to glow, illuminating the kanji for 'secret', "the only way to release the seal is with blood. Think of it kind of like a summoning."

Hinata nodded as the piece of paper disappeared in a small puff of smoke, the edges of a scroll visible. As Naruto began to open it, she rose to leave. But when she tried to move away, she found that she couldn't, as her hand had been taken prisoner by Naruto's.

With wordless consent, she sat back down on the bed and rested her chin on her love's shoulder as he began to read.

* * *

And so, the last chapter in this saga will be released as soon as possible. Stay tuned for the fight-scene-less conclusion!


	44. The Will of Fire

So, for the final chapter and somewhat epic conclusion of this two year project, some thanks are in order.

Allan Pike, Doctor Yami, Baka Hanyou Raevyn, Clover715, RasenganFin, sealdfox, hinata-naruto-neji-HNN: You guys either reviewed constantly or offered some rather incredible criticisms, enough to stand out in my head and make me think for a moment or twelve, so well done there. Special shout-out to VFSNAKE, who reviewed (I think) every single chapter and always offered something by way of encouragement. Also special "Yay!" to EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED. You rock. You let me know that someone was reading, which is the second reason why I write (First is to write! :-)).

Oh, and in sticking with my stubborn AU attitude: THIS IS AU! I AM A-STICKING WITH THE NAME I CHOSE FOR NARUTO'S FATHER, so please, for the love of God, no comments on that.

And finally, I present to you the final chapter of True Strength.

_

* * *

_

Chapter 44 - The Will of Fire

_Uzumaki Naruto,_

Three months passed in relative calm since Konoha's skirmish with Amegakure. To the public was released a report about how Konoha had been threatened with war by the Rain, and it was only with the brilliant subterfuge of Naruto's team that Konoha had been able to muster their forces and counterattack, though behind closed doors everyone had shared a good laugh about how haphazard the "operation" was.

When they returned from Amegakure, Kira was called back to assist Tsunade with the Iwa-Konoha alliance. After a few more weeks of pleasant negotiation with the busty Hokage, Kira realized that it was time for her to return to Iwagakure and bring a copy of the treaty for her Kage to sign.

_I'm writing this to you as we near the end of your training mission, and looking back on that loudmouth brat you were a few years ago, I can honestly say: nothing's changed._

_Ha! In fact, Naruto, you've become more like your father than I imagined you would. You'll have to beat the ladies away with a stick when you get home again._

When she emerged from the Hokage's office after their longest meeting to date, Haku was waiting for her.

"Haku-kun!" she yelled happily, running to the long-haired jinchuuriki. "What are you doing here? Didn't you guys just leave on an A-rank mission?" she asked, confused with his presence.

Haku grinned. "Naruto told me to stay behind. Something about 'your girl,' 'sending her off properly,' that kinda stuff. I missed most of it, he was speaking pretty quickly. More like talking _at_ me."

Kira giggled and slipped her arm through his, blushing slightly. "Well, it's too late to leave for Iwagakure today, so I guess I'll have to wait until tomorrow morning, neh?" Haku grinned.

"Y'know, Kira-chan," he said, gazing off into the sky as they exited the Hokage's mansion. "There's this great ramen place I keep hearing about. Real quality stuff, I'm told. A great place for a date, if you get my meaning," he added, turning to look her in the eye, brown meeting green.

Green looked away briefly, then disappeared altogether, covered by eyelids and the muscles behind a powerful smile. "Sounds like fun," Kira agreed.

_Speaking of which, don't think just because you're back in Konoha you'll be able to relax. If you thought I was tough, wait 'till you REALLY start working with that old hag of a Hokage. You'll have to bust your ass harder than ever, kid, but I think you of all people won't have a problem with that._

When they arrived at the legendary ramen stand, they came upon a heart-wrenching display of emotion. An old man in a chef's had was bawling his eyes out on the counter, his face buried in his folded arms while a young woman desperately tried to comfort him.

"Look, I'm sure he hasn't forgotten about Ichiraku's, he'll be back! Naruto-kun is a very busy man now, and he's got a lot of responsibility-" the woman, who looked to be about 18 was saying.

"When he's Hokage, will he come back? WILL HE?!" the old man raged, pounding the counter.

"Hey, ji-san! You questioning Naruto's loyalty to ramen?" Haku yelled. The old man froze, turning to face this newcomer.

"You must be Naruto's teammates, I remember you! Haku, was it?" the young woman exclaimed happily, distress vanishing in an instant. "My name is Ayame, welcome to Ichiraku Ramen!"

The old man snapped upright as well, all trace of depression gone. "Yosh! Until Naruto returns, I shall flex my ramen-making muscles on you!"

Kira and Haku swallowed uneasily. So much for a pleasant date...

_I'm not actually sure why I'm writing this, Naruto. Maybe I feel like I need to, maybe I feel like there's still so much more to tell you. All I know is, I have a feeling in my gut that the end of the Legendary Sannin is coming. Orochimaru sealed his own fate the minute he infected Sasuke with that madness. So when that day comes and I give my life for Konoha, I want to make sure you understand why we do what we do._

They left the ramen stand. Or, more accurately, they waddled out from under the hanging curtains.

"Damn that old bastard," Kira muttered, her self-esteem decreasing exponentially. "If I gain weight from this I will come back and kill that man and raze that ramen stand to the ground. And when Naruto-kun finds out and kills me, I will die happy."

Haku laughed until it hurt, which happened pretty quickly on account of his bulging stomach. "I guess I should hope you do gain some weight then, huh?" he quipped, intending it as a joke.

However, Kira stopped dead in her tracks. Immediately Haku whipped around and grabbed her head in his hands. "Kira-chan, listen to me! LISTEN!" he yelled.

Shocked, Kira looked up at him, tears hanging unshed in her eyes.

"We can't keep running away from this. You're going back to Iwagakure, possibly forever. I love you, and I'm staying here in Konohagakure where _I_ belong. What are we going to do?" he said calmly, saying even the last thought as a statement.

"Why do you want to stay here so much?!" Kira blurted out, then slapped her hands over her mouth, horrified. "I'm sorry," she mumbled. But instead of reacting angrily, Haku just laughed softly.

"Why do you want to go back to Rock so badly?" he retorted.

Kira thought for a moment. After a few minutes, they came to a wordless conclusion and headed back for Naruto's house.

_Your first true test came when the Sound invaded Konoha with the pressured aid of the Sand. A lot of good ninja died that day, all of them sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, husbands, and wives. They all had dreams, goals, and lives to live out, and yet they readily sacrificed them all for the good of the village. Without a moments hesitation they defended their home, and through their actions Konoha was able to strike back and beat back Orochimaru and his army, saving thousands of lives. You helped too, and in a huge way by defeating Subaku no Gaara in a way that would allow him to reform himself and become the Kazekage._ _But there's more to it than fighting for your home or for your friends._

The next morning, Haku saw Kira to the gate, and after a long farewell which one of the gate guards had the misfortune to walk in on and retreat from hastily, Kira went one way and Haku went the other.

As Haku wandered back towards Naruto's home deep in thought, he was jumped by four people and flanked into:

A group hug.

"Hey, now we can have guys' night out when Kira comes to visit!" Naruto remarked when they had separated. Haku stared at the blonde incredulously.

"Why would I spend time with you guys when Kira came to town, just to spite her?" he complained. Then his eyes lit up in realization, and Sasuke joined them in a fist-pound.

"And naturally we'll take all your money, go shopping together, and talk all about your embarrassing personality quirks all night long," Hinata retorted, slapping Sakura a high-five.

Naruto laughed. "Oh yeah, what a blow to us. Our girlfriends are gonna talk about us. Horror of horrors. And shopping? For what? Kunoichi supplies? What a shame! My girlfriend needs my money to buy more kunai and steel wire! Woo-hoo!" Naruto pumped his fist in mock excitement, then yelped as Sakura kicked him in the shins. Growling, he chased after her as she took off towards his house laughing, and the rest followed them, laughing and mocking the pair.

_This is the way it should be,_ Haku thought contentedly as he walked with his friends, laughing and joking together. He would miss Kira, surely, but she would visit him, and he her. He would see her again; he would make sure of it.

_Fighting for Konoha shows that you're willing to sacrifice your life, your dreams, for something greater. Next time you get the chance, look around the village. Watch an old lady take out her garbage, or a father teach his son a trade. The village is a place that _allows_ us to have those dreams, those lives. Without it, we'd be homeless and surviving by the skin of our teeth like nukenin, and that's no way to live. In Konoha, we have a chance to be a part of something greater while still making a name for ourselves as an individual. It isn't an opportunity to be wasted, and it is something to be defended with your all._

Naruto stood behind a large pair of doors all but quivering with energy. Briefly reflecting on his appearance, he couldn't help but grin slightly. After accepting his transformation as a permanent fact of life he had taken all his clothes to the nearest tailor and had them altered. He was now resplendent in a dark crimson vest covering a suit of body armor with a matching pair of black trousers. His hitai was tied proudly to his forehead with a cloth strip of the same color as his pants; black combat boots adorned his feet, and his reddish blonde hair resembled nothing short of a squirrel's nest when it wasn't tied back in the ponytail he had come to live with. He mused at the closed portal for a moment, then turned to his friends behind him.

Sasuke and Sakura stood hand-in-hand, their relationship having bloomed into a steady progression towards the inevitable. The younger of the prodigal Uchiha had never gotten over a sense of debt to Konoha, and had been adamant about taking the most difficult missions for the team Naruto led, and before long Naruto was leaving more and more of that leadership to Sasuke, who demonstrated a ruthless mind for tactics and strategy, especially for missions that had them leaving Konoha for a week or more at a time. Sakura too, to no one's surprise, stepped into the spotlight as well and with Sasuke planned their missions and fighting strategies based off of Naruto's partnering system for the team as Naruto became more and more occupied mentally with preparing for the position of Hokage. Before long, their 0% failure rate on missions attracted the attention of the other jounin and chuunin of the village, especially Umino Iruka. Together, he, Sasuke, and Sakura made a pitch to the village council to introduce the partnering system into the village's training program, which was successfully (and overwhelmingly) approved where a partnered team would be led by one jounin.

Naruto knew that Sasuke intended to propose today; aside from the faint nervousness in his Sharingan-red eyes, during their guys-night-out with Lee, Shino, Haku, Shikamaru, Chouji, and surprisingly, Itachi, the previous evening Sasuke had shown them all the engagement ring, a small but elegant single diamond affair with 2 small rubies flanking the center stone, all of which sat on a white gold band.

"With my luck, she'll use it in combat to wreck some poor bastard!" Sasuke joked, eliciting a raucous laughter which was quickly subdued by the realization of just how close to the truth that jab was.

His gaze drifted to Haku, who was standing next to Hinata. Over the past few months, they had formed a solid and thoroughly unexpected friendship, the most surprised ones being the pair themselves. It had happened suddenly, and without mercy.

Hinata was sitting at the table they all shared their meals at in Naruto's house when Haku came in. He didn't need the enhanced sight his demon gave him to see that she was quivering with anticipation.

"Hinata, what's going on? Are you okay, are you hurt?" he asked, mistaking her motions for nervousness or pain. Hinata, however, stifled a giggle.

"Shh! Naruto-kun's coming!" she admonished, activating her Byakugan. But as she did so, she paled. She turned to Haku and dashed over to him. "Haku-kun! Quick! Stall Naruto! I need to fix something!"

His mischievous instincts immediately alerted, he readily agreed and dashed out into the hall, almost plowing over Naruto.

In a split-second, Haku weighed out the pros and cons and decided that almost wasn't good enough, and didn't try to stop his momentum. The result was a small dust cloud out of which emerged the odd hand, boot, or yelp of pain. When the two split apart, Naruto and Haku were breathing heavily, Naruto closest to the threshold to the kitchen.

They eyed each other warily with glares, but as the seconds passed they began to have to fight the corners of their mouths from uplifting. The buildup led to each being wracked by fits of laughter, the pain of which doubled them over and even brought Naruto to his knees. When the amusement subsided, Naruto shot Haku a grin and turned to enter the kitchen.

The minute his foot crossed over an unseen boundary, however, he was frozen in place. Literally. Then, six or seven different seals went off at once, all of which covered Naruto in some sort of goo except for the last one, which released a cloud of feathers.

Haku stared.

Hinata stared.

Naruto blinked once as Sasuke and Sakura entered the front door, Sakura dropping the gallon of milk they had just purchased and catching it on the arch of her foot at the last second and Sasuke dropping his jaw lower and lower.

No one moved.

Then everyone with the exception of poor Naruto exploded into laughter. Hinata fell out of her chair, and Sakura and Sasuke could only support each other as they were left in stitches.

Naruto groaned at their mirth and flared his chakra briefly. The resulting red flash incinerated the chakra-based materials that were coating him and left him as clean as he had been before he wrestled with Haku.

Ignoring his friends' "Aw!", he began to cook breakfast as they seated themselves at the table, doing his best to hide a smile. As he did so, Haku sat across from Hinata and stared at her until she shifted uncomfortably and finally asked, "What?"

Haku solemnly extended his hand, palm up, and looked at it pointedly before returning his gaze to her pearly eyes, which widened in understanding.

She completed the high-five, and a silent bond was instantly formed, the kind that forms between co-conspirators after a successful con. And they found that they shared that same mischievous nature, much to Naruto's chagrin. And as the months passed, it was Hinata, who was taking an active role in the administration of her clan and becoming quite the paragon in Konoha, who helped establish Haku as special liaison to Iwagakure, ensuring that the couple would be able to meet as often as possible. Haku, however, took to the post with a zeal he didn't know he had and displayed a tact for diplomacy and diffusing potentially disastrous situations into calm, friendly negotiations, becoming a well-known figure in Konoha in his own right.

Naruto grinned at Haku, winked at Hinata who returned it, and turned his gaze back to the doors.

_Any minute now..._ he thought, as a noise began to seep through the walls and the doors in front of him. Finally, a voice cut through the silence.

_I know you can do this Naruto. It's something you've been preparing for your entire life. When everyone slammed you down for daring to exist, you made them regret it in the end. You've been worming your way into the hearts of everyone in that village, and everyone in villages across the continent it seems. The "Great Naruto Bridge?" Seriously? Brat, not even Hanzou the Salamander or the Legendary Sannin have anything named after them. Well done, kid._

_The Will of Fire burns in your soul, Naruto. It was given to you by your father, the Yondaime Hokage Uzumaki Arashi, and instead of wasting it or misusing it you turned a potential curse into a powerful weapon and set for yourself the highest goal any shinobi can aspire to obtain. It was my honor to help you in fulfilling a small slice of your potential. At the end, Naruto, I no longer thought of you as a student, or even a good friend._

_I felt as it I had adopted you for Arashi's sake, and by his soul, Naruto, I hope you understand when I say your parents loved you more than anything else in the world and wanted nothing more than to watch you grow into a legend. You're like a son to me, Naruto; inside this envelope is a scrap of paper with a seal on it. Memorize it and destroy it, then activate the seal with your blood. It will summon the scroll which contains the contract for the toads. I pass it on to you with the knowledge that you will in turn pass it on to your apprentice one day, should they show an aptitude for senjutsu._

"I PRESENT TO YOU THE ROKUDAIME HOKAGE: UZUMAKI NARUTO!"

The doors flew open and Naruto was assaulted by a sheer wall of noise from the cheering of the crowd. He walked out towards Tsunade, who was waiting with Uchiha Itachi, a small grin in place, Hatake Kakashi, a large smirk visible through his mask, Umino Iruka who was beaming happily, Ten-ten and her father Busho, Shino, Lee, Ino, Shikamaru and Chouji, Neji and Hinata's younger sister Hanabi, and the old ramen chef and his daugher. Naruto was pleased to see that Hyuuga Hiashi was present on the roof as well as Sakura's mother and father who were in fact was as pink-haired as their daughter.

Tsunade smiled as Naruto accepted the ceremonial robes of the Hokage and donned them, along with the ridiculously cool hat marked with the kanji for fire. When he was finished, Tsunade swooped him into a bone-crunching hug, and the cheers rose in volume, something Naruto didn't believe was possible and also something that caused Haku, with his enhanced hearing, to wince slightly. However, they all caught up with the new Hokage and took it in turns to break various bones in his body that Naruto didn't know existed with their powerful hugs.

After Hinata was finished with him, Naruto paused until the color of his face no longer matched the color of his vest and turned to the crowd. He formed a series of three seals, then stepped up to stand on the rail that ringed the roof of the Hokage's mansion. He took a deep breath.

"SHINOBI, KUNOICHI, AND CITIZENS OF KONOHA!" he shouted, and the crowd hushed.

He grinned wildly. "WE'RE ABOUT TO ENTER ONE OF THE GREATEST AGES THIS VILLAGE HAS EVER EXPERIENCED. THE WILL OF FIRE COURSES THROUGH OUR VEINS! GENERATION AFTER GENERATION HAS PASSED DOWN THE STRENGTH OF THE FIRE COUNTRY, AND NOW I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY!"

He paused, then continued, softer than before. "The Hokages before me always put the village first, sacrificing themselves for the sake of its people. Citizens! Let us march forward to a new day! For Konoha!" Naruto yelled, pumping his fist.

"For Konoha!" the crowd roared.

"FOR KONOHA!" he yelled, louder than before.

"FOR KONOHA!" the crowd thundered as cheering erupted once more. Naruto lowered his fist and turned to Sasuke, winking. At that signal, Sasuke snatched Sakura up and, carrying her bridal, marched over to the railing and leapt up on to it, sticking to it with chakra, and set Sakura down. Naruto did likewise to Hinata, and the two girls protested loudly.

"Now, I have a favor ask all of you! If you would all be so kind..." Naruto began, fishing and fumbling around in his robes, "to be my brother's and my witnesses." His face lit up as his hand closed around a small felt box and pulled it forth. Sasuke did likewise, chuckling at Naruto's antics as he calmly pulled his from the sleeve of his haori. Almost in unison, they accomplished the incredible feat of going down to one knee while balancing on a railing, and extended their respective boxes to their respective women, who by now had realized what was going on and were both well on their way to supplying Konoha's water for a year.

"Hyuuga Hinata," Naruto began, mouth turning in a grin.

"Haruno Sakura," Sasuke echoed, trying not to smirk and succeeding.

"Will you marry me?" they finished together.

The ensuing silence weighed thick with tension as the entire crowd and habitants of the roof held a collective breath as Sakura and Hinata stared at Sasuke and Naruto. They glanced at each other through their tears but had to look away to stifle the laughter. Regaining her composure, Hinata looked behind her at her father, who was nodded and smiled warmly his approval; Hanabi gave her sister a thumbs up and a wink, while Neji shrugged, though his enormous smile betrayed him.

Sakura's parents, despite their own tears, smiled and nodded to their daughter, who almost skipped with joy as she turned back to Sasuke.

"Of course, baka," Sakura said softly as she took the ring, admiring the light playing between the red and clear stones and slipped it onto her finger. Hinata nodded furiously to Naruto and took her ring, which was a white gold affair with a single, brilliant white pearl flanked by two small sapphires.

As they attacked their fiancés, the crowd erupted once more into raucous celebration. Not bothering to wait for the couples to separate, their friends pulled them off the railings before they lost their footing and passed them around like bottles of wine for congratulations.

Despite the joy he felt for his friends as he thumped Naruto on the back and hugged Hinata, he couldn't help but feel a sharp tug in the pit of his stomach, and when the Hokage and his fiancée passed him he turned away and began to move.

However, he was stopped and enfolded into an all-too-familiar embrace. When the arms let him go, he looked into smiling green eyes.

"Miss me?" Kira jabbed. Haku laughed and picked her up, spinning her around and around while she joined him.

The sun shone brightly, and the clouds mingled with each other as if the world rejoiced.

_I'm off to fight the Akatsuki now, brat. I'll have Kakashi by my side, so if anything goes wrong at least I'll have the dependable White Fang at my back. Grow stronger, Naruto; I'll be watching closely!_

_Jiraiya, Sannin of the Toad, Proud godfather of Uzumaki Naruto._

Naruto smiled softly as he ran his finger over those last five words. "So dad named him my godfather... should've seen that coming," he chuckled, still in wonderment at that last revelation even after so much time had passed. Rising to his feet with a mild sigh, he returned the letter to its mount on the mantle of his home and stared at the collection of pictures which accompanied the letter, not really seeing them, lost in thought.

"Naruto-kun!" a voice called softly. He turned to see a beautiful woman walking towards him. With her slender figure wrapped in a white hakama, her dark blue hair spilled behind her head and rested on her shoulders, she was easily the most beautiful woman Naruto had ever laid eyes on. His dark red orbs locked with the woman's pearls until they were close enough for him to embrace her gently.

"I can feel it stirring," he mumbled into her ear, inhaling the scent of lilacs in her hair. She tensed slightly, then relaxed into him.

"It's been almost three years since you lost the Shirugan; are you sure?" Hinata asked softly, pulling away to look her husband in the eye critically. He grinned, and captured her lips with his. After a moment, he pulled away, a whispered "Yes," by way of parting gift. Hinata shuddered, and hugged him tighter.

"It's cold, you meanie; don't do that," she admonished playfully. Before Naruto could offer a dirty reply, she placed her finger over his lips. "Wait a moment; there's something I want you to see."

She took his arm and led him through the halls of the Uzumaki complex to a formerly unused room. Hinata opened the door slowly, revealing an off-white interior and an assortment of kunoichi-related items: a small garden attached to the windowsill, a small stack of books, and in one corner, a stuffed animal bearing a vicious resemblance to a certain nine-tailed fox, though the fox's expression was adorably cute. In another corner, however, was a bed low to the floor. Curled up in the covers was a small girl. Dark blue hair spilled messily down her back, and, were her eyes open, solid and dark red orbs would be visible. She had yet to exhibit either of the bloodlines of Hinata or Naruto, but both hoped that they would mix and create something unique and wonderful for their daughter to distinguish herself from her already-legendary parents.

Naruto had caught his breath. "She's so wonderful," he whispered softly, to which Hinata responded by hugging him.

"She's so strong; she'll be ready for the Academy in a few years," Hinata said happily. Naruto grinned.

"Iruka's gonna kill me. Of all the things for her to inherit of mine, she got my pranskter aptitude, and yours as well for that matter," Naruto said happily, poking Hinata in the ribs. Holding in her reflexive yelp, she eased themselves out of the doorway and down to their own room. As she did so, Hinata got on her tiptoes to whisper in her husband's ear:

"It sure would be nice if she had someone her own age to play with," she said as sensuously as she could. However, Naruto was less than compliant.

"She seems to like Haku and Kira's kid, and I can only thank Kami-sama that he takes Kira's side. And Sasuke and Sakura's twins are adorable," Naruto replied, completely oblivious.

Hinata sighed and, gripping Naruto's face in two hands, pulled him into a scorching kiss that would have left a mere mortal man no more than a burn mark on the wood floor.

When she pulled away, she watched him blink once, slowly. Then:

"Oh," he grinned sheepishly, then yanked her to him and toed the door shut.

As Naruto lay awake, contemplating, Hinata cupped his face gently.

"Naruto-kun," she whispered sleepily. He turned to face her expectantly, and she smiled, closing her eyes.

"Aishiteruze, Naruto-kun." And without warning, her breathing slowed to an even pace.

Naruto smiled, and tucked a strand of her hanging in front of her eyes behind her ear.

"And I you, Hinata-chan," he whispered in reply, closing his eyes and succumbing to sleep. Next to him, the Hyuuga heiress smiled in her sleep, and their dreams were calm and soothing, of the future that lay in store for them, and the future than lay in store for their daughter and, eventually, son.

And Naruto and Hinata and their friends, after many struggles and many sacrifices, were finally able to rest. After victory and inevitable loss, they could finally lay down their heads in peace.

_Fin._

_

* * *

_Arigatogozaimasu, my friends. I hope you enjoyed this! Look out in the future for some one-shot action and stuff like that. Anyone wanting a continuation featuring the next generation... well, let's just say I'll think about it.

Ja ne! - Mike Geib


	45. When All Is Said and Done

I have no words. If you're reading this then believe me when I say: I'm just as surprised as you are.

* * *

**Epilogue: When All Is Said and Done**

What happens after 'happily ever after?'

Do the worries of the world simply get washed away by the immense tide of happiness that comes on the tail of a successfully resolved conflict?

Nonsense.

The world, it seems, is not quite so lenient.

After all, the ending and close of one story is in reality the beginning and opening of a new story.

'Turn big problems into little problems; little problems into no problems,' or so the saying goes.

But there will always be problems, and in the eyes of a certain wrinkled old man a famine of problems was about to become a bountiful harvest.

"For the last time, Aki, give me back my kunai!" the young girl demanded. Her bluish-black hair fluttered angrily in a slight breeze, a hand extended open-palm out towards the aforementioned Akihiko. It was met with a blown raspberry and an evil smirk.

"Aw, what's the big deal Nee-chan?" the pink-haired boy shot back nonchalantly, one hand held behind his head in a laid-back manner while the other twirled a kunai, presumably the stolen item, around by its ring. "You've got plenty of them, so I know you're not low. Unless...," and the boy dragged his free hand down over his short hair to rest over his face in a mock-tragic pose, "this is... his?" Querying rhetorically, he held the kunai delicately into the air by two fingers, as if gingerly avoiding contaminating it.

The girl shrieked. "Uchiha Akihiko, so help me I am going to kill you!" Leaping forward, it was uncertain as to whether her target was the kunai or the hapless lad before her; either way, her intent to maim, dismember, and murder was palpable to the old man watching from the side.

"Ha-HA!" the boy yelled gleefully, skipping to the side at the last minute, eyes twinkling. "I knew it! It's your precious gift! Your bond of looooooove! I'll bet you-OOF!"

Beset with rage as she was, Akihiko's bantering was no match for a woman scorned and the elder sister ducked low and launched herself at the boy's legs, snagging one as they attempted evasion. With a poof of dust the girl locked the knee and yanked the foot behind her, causing Akihiko to lose his balance (and his unspoken taunt) and fall backwards to the ground. Not one to give up an advantage, the girl immediately went to mount her younger brother, who of course recovered quickly.

The old man watched with unmasked glee as the youngsters pounded the living hell out of each other. Other passerby wandering in the vicinity of the park either slowed for a moment before continuing on their way with a helpless chuckle or ignored the scuffling pair. This, it seemed, was commonplace for this area though the old man couldn't quite recall if this pair had ever scuffled here before.

Abandoning his musing, the old man watched as the dust cloud began to settle around the siblings who were on their backs, panting. The kunai, it seemed, was nowhere to be found, but neither appeared to care at the moment.

The boy sat up first. Shaking his head and brushing the dust from his no-longer-entirely-pink hair, he hopped to his feet and extended a hand to the girl, who had resumed a normal pace of breath but had yet to rise.

Akihiko grinned. "Damn, Kei-nee, but you really pack a wallop," he offered, perhaps by way of an attempt at a truce. Whether Kei accepted it or not, the old man couldn't tell, but she did grab the proffered hand and used it to get to her feet as well. Brushing the dust from her bright red bike shorts and top, she smiled crookedly at the boy.

"Clean yourself up or Haha-ue will murder you for me," she replied, brushing her hand against the black sleeveless shirt sporting the crest of the Uchiha and knocking a fair amount of dust away. Blanching, Akihiko scrambled to remove the rest of the dust from his clothing. Seemingly satisfied, he nodded in triumph before extending his hand to Kei. "Here's your - huh?"

Intending to return the stolen kunai, Akihiko was understandably confused. Where the kunai had been firmly grasped, an empty hand remained. Eyes widening, he patted himself all over and searched the aftermath of their skirmish before returning to gaze at his sister, whose expression could have been lightly described as 'demonic.'

"Ahhhh... young whippersnapper... could you mean this piece here?" a voice called out.

Whipping their heads to the voice's owner, the pair of siblings saw an old man sitting on a bench with a kindly face covered in wrinkles. Eyes twinkling blue under the sun, he held a kunai firmly in his palm.

Guessing what had happened, Kei sprinted over to the old man and bowed several times. "We're really really sorry ojii-san! It must have gotten flung over here when we were fighting, I'm so sorry thank you so much!" she spluttered helplessly, numbly accepting the kunai being pressed into her hands. "Were you hurt at all?"

The old man laughed and waved his hands. "Not a tad, young miss, not a tad." Finally looking up at the old man, Kei was greeted with blue eyes shining with kindness as he gazed at the youth. "Though it is getting dark; perhaps you and your brother ought to be heading home, yes?" he added, sounding concerned.

"Shit! Let's blitz, Kei-nee!" Akihiko yelped, running up to his sister. Grabbing her hand, they sprinted off as only shinobi could, taking to the rooftops with a few hops. The old man watched them go with a small smile, then lifted himself to his feet. Bones cracking, a cane appeared from the folds of his white robe that breathed perfectly despite the hot sun setting in the distance, and he began his trek back to his abode.

As he walked, his mind wandered as it did and he found his thoughts dwelling on his own family. Independent of his conscious will, he realized his feet were taking him down a familiar path through the town and he accepted the course as a fact, closing his eyes and treading the steps by memory. Drawing to a halt, he opened his eyes after a moment.

Black. Shiny black, somewhat reflective, and as he focused the writing became clearer and clearer on the Memorial Stone. Shifting from his own reflection to the writing on the wall of stone, his mouth slowly began to trace the sounds of the names from top to bottom. One by one he read them out, softly, slowly, never missing one, pausing gently after each.

Down and across he went until finally, as he knew it would come to pass, the familiar syllables passed his eyes.

'Hyuuga,' he enunciated softly. Sucking in a breath, he continued -

'Hiashi.' a voice softly spoke behind him.

Smiling, he turned to face a beautiful woman. Long, dark blue tresses danced down her back as gentle pearls gazed into his own blue. Her white skin, unblemished by any mark or age, tinged slightly with red as she took his gnarled hands in her own.

And crunched them with an almighty grip of steel forged in the fires of battle.

"Dear, Sakura-chan says you've been terrorizing her daughter again," Hinata said sweetly, still smiling, as the bones of the old man's hands began to strain under the pressure to stay connected to each other.

With a small 'pop' the old man disappeared; or rather, the 'old' disappeared from the 'man' and a rather handsome, crimson-haired, sheepishly smiling face in the prime of youth replaced it. "Well, you know, she reminds me so much of Sakura-chan that I-YOWWWW-okay okay okay, I'll drop by later and apologize!"

His excuse-turned-howl-turned-surrender dying in the air, the eyes of pearl glared at bashful steel blues for a moment more before softening considerably. Then they disappeared altogether, buried in the chest of the crimson-haired man. After nuzzling for a bit, Hinata lifted her head to look at the names on the Memorial Stone that Naruto had returned his gaze to.

"You miss them," she stated quietly. Naruto looked down at her incredulously.

"Don't you?" he asked with no small amount of disbelief, turning to helplessness as she glared up at him again.

"Baka," she whispered as she cradled her love's head in her hands, "of course I do." She grinned. "But I'd be more afraid of what happens when you have to meet them again. They'll have a lot of... 'catching up' to do with you to say the least. I hope my father goes easy on you for my sake, at least," she added playfully. Naruto's head drooped with another helpless grin.

"Yeah, there's that." He pondered for a moment. "I wonder what happens when the time comes." His question hung in the air as silence reigned.

"Some say we come back. Some say we go on to an afterlife. A few say oblivion, but I don't really think that's possible," Hinata offered after a spell. "We definitely only get one chance at this life, though."

Naruto nodded solemnly. "Reincarnation doesn't sound to bad. I'd get to meet you again, after all!" he finished grandly. Then he paled. "If it's an afterlife, I hope you don't get to see everything that happens here. If Hiashi knew what I did to you almost every night he'd-"

Whatever words the world's greatest prankster had planned were lost forever as a palm sought to become one with his spine by way of the abdomen.

* * *

One trip to the Uchiha residence later, the couple arrived at their own front door to be greeted by a little lady with crimson hair highlighted with streaks of midnight blue.

"Good evening, my little demon!" Naruto exclaimed proudly, tousling the girl's hair. A delighted grin spreading across her face, she closed the distance and hugged Naruto, the top of her head coming only to the bottom of his chest.

"Don't call her that, you brute," her mother said while whacking the offender 'cross the back of the head. "She'll start to believe you. Maika-chan, don't listen to a word your father says," Hinata cautioned as the girl kissed her mother on the cheek. "You're 14 now, you should know better."

"It's okay, Kaa-san. I like it, and whenever the other kids are around and Naru-tou calls me that it inspires them with the respect I deserve!" Maika said proudly, hands on her hips and nose turned into the air. Naruto groaned at the pet name and pinched her nose.

"Normal daughters call their fathers normally," he admonished, though the accompanying wink took most the sincerity out of it. Walking inside, he palmed his forehead in recollection. "Taichi comes back until tomorrow night from his mission. Looks like it's just us for dinner again."

Hinata smiled at her husband's memory. While he certainly had a lot on his plate to juggle, he could be absent-minded about the most important things. Squeezing Naruto's hand, she went with him to prepare dinner.

* * *

After a nice meal and a pleasant evening, they lay in bed together with Hinata having claimed her rightful place against Naruto's side. Snuggled against him with his hand around her, she grinned. "If you listen, you can hear her chattering away. I swear, she's as smart as you are and, like her father, applies it in all the wrong ways."

Turning to frown at his teasing wife, Naruto 'hmm'd' quietly. "It's an incredible jutsu. Where we previously had to rely on the mind powers of the Yamanaka and others, now anyone can talk to anyone with a simple technique and a unique sequence of seals to identify the target. I know Kira was thrilled when we finished it and sent Haku and her off to Iwa to have them try it out, though I'm sure the parents of Rock will be just as 'thrilled' as we are." He grinned. "Karma, huh..."

Hinata poked him. "Be nice. Haku and Kira have no idea what they're missing. Not that there's anything wrong with not having kids. They're very happy, after all," she added with a smile, thinking of the fiery girl and her mischievous husband.

Naruto turned and kissed his wife soundly. "I love you," he whispered. Grinning blue eyes flashed briefly, and Hinata gasped, barely managing to keep from shouting out. Mustering control over her volume, she beamed and kissed him again and again.

"You did it! I can't believe it!" she said as exuberantly as possible while keeping her voice down. Then she glared, though the smile never left her face. "That's how you got poor Kei-chan's kunai away, didn't you?"

Naruto chuckled helplessly. "Akihiko was never one to hold on to a weapon in a fight, and it looked like one of them was about to have an 'accident,' so I tried one of the old seals and it worked perfectly. I'll have to make sure to take it slow, but yours truly might be back to 100%!"

Hinata stared at his face, whisker marks barely visible after all the years, and resumed her snuggling, mind growing drowsy. "You never cease to amaze," she muttered.

Intelligently managing to refrain from a (dirty) wisecrack, Naruto kissed the top of her head and settled down for a good night's sleep, his mind wandering to earlier that day.

Many of their friends awaited them, having gone on before them.

Many of their friends were still here, with them.

15 years ago, the largest conflict the ninja world had ever known came to an end. Many, many lives were lost. Ever after the war ended, the elder generation too began to disappear, content to leave behind the world in their descendents' capable hands.

15 years later, Naruto mused, it seemed to be true: things really do get better.

He activated his old eyes again, briefly, and with a whisper was looking at his daughter's restful form. She shifted in her sleep, then opened her eyes slowly. Looking up at the ceiling, her eyes seemed to lock with Naruto's. They flashed themselves and, smiling, Maika nodded to her father before resuming her dreams.

Shaking his head helplessly at his daughter's abilities, he closed his own eyes and drifted off.

With the ones he loved by his side, Naruto looked forward to the future.

Tomorrow was a new day, after all.

* * *

So, yeah. For everyone reading this, thank you. Thank you so much for reading this five-year-old epic saga of grammatical nightmares, transitional bloopers, and helplessly fluffy ninja-ness.

I wrote this not only because I always wanted to write a true epilogue, but also because steadily, throughout the years, people kept finding this story, they kept reading it, they kept following it, and they kept telling me about it. Art in its purest form might be able to exist in a vacuum, but I derive an incredible amount of joy from knowing that somewhere out there someone might be enjoying something I made.

It is truly humbling, and so I say: thank you. I hope you enjoyed this little afterthought.

(Special thanks to Hinata-Win)


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